


Fox's Kurse

by Jack64



Category: Star Fox Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dystopia, F/M, Gritty, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Romance, Speciesism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-05-14 06:39:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 64,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14764535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jack64/pseuds/Jack64
Summary: It's been 8 years since the Lylat Wars. Less than six months since the Sauria Crisis, and for some reason Fox McCloud can't seem to catch a break. Star Fox has dissolved, bounty hunters chasing after him for the better part of a year. Could things possibly get worse?





	1. Chapter 1

**Station Arcturus AKA Little Fichina.**

**Time: 23:48 Date: 28, Tuesday, November. 8 years ALW.**

Fox McCloud sat there in his little corner of the system. Crawling inside a bottle, Papetoonian whiskey wonderfully burning down his throat. It helped make him forget his troubles, at least for a little while. All around him were various lowlifes and dregs of differing species: felines, canines, even a few primates, and apes. Just the sort of people the famous Fox McCloud wouldn't be caught dead with, or so the media would have you believe. As far as anyone was concerned Fox was living the high life: fame, fortune, and glory were all his. Though if you told that to his face; the likelihood of you getting punched in the face was quite high.

The bar was nothing special, but it was meant to give that feel to spacers and colonists alike that they were on Fichina, or as its nickname in the local parlance was; The Arctic Hell Orb. Pictures lined the walls of various local celebrities, miners, pilots, even a few mercs like himself. The floors were real wood from Sycamore trees while some sports paraphernalia was scattered about. There wasn't much there worth noting. Those tired emerald eyes took in the surroundings before he dove back into the bottle of whiskey before him, downing another shot.

Today had been hell; he'd had a run-in with the crazy blue bitch from another world. For a full solid year, she had been hunting him clear across Lylat. He had always found a way out just as he did today. Thankfully, he still had friends in places that could help him escape or hideaway. She was ruthless, determined and incredibly well trained from her homeworld of Cerinia.

_Of all the bounty hunters that had to be on my ass, it would have to be a telepath, wouldn't it? He remarked internally. Damn shame she's gorgeous, if she weren't trying to deep six me, I might have tried my hand at asking her out._

Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as that last thought crossed his mind. Thoughts soon trailed back to said blue bounty hunter. Kursed was what she called herself. An exile or some sort from the planet Cerinia which lay outside the Lylat system. It was a planet full of blue vulpines who all had psionic powers of varying degrees, notably clan like and hardy warriors all. Occasionally teams of them would leave their world on great hunts, a right of passage for their young, untested warriors. They were prized for their abilities as both ground pounders and pilots alike. Fox knew first hand just how deadly they were. Not even Wolf put up half the fight she did, and Wolf was easily the closest thing to a rival he had before Kursed had shown up a year ago.

Numerous times he managed to slip through her grasp while never taking the time to put her down. She always seemed to find him in public places where he tried his best to remain incognito. Many things had gone wrong over the years after the first and second Lylat Wars, but Fox still made sure he never recklessly endangered civilian lives. Something the vixen seemed to reciprocate thankfully. That behavior led Fox to believe maybe she wasn't all bad. But they had jobs to do, and hers was hunting his orange tail all over the system.

His right now was finishing this bottle of whiskey. Of course, it would have been his job had the very vixen in question not plopped herself on the barstool next to him. Just out of the peripheral of his right eye, he watched her move her right leg over her left knee. Staring at him with those fierce turquoise eyes while she wore what appeared to be a long black coat with a white shirt. However, he had noticed that she wore a small vest to protect her chest. The vixen's facial features were mostly covered in white fur till the tops of her eyelids which faded into blue. The vixen was quietly leaning upon her fist which was placed against her cheek with elbow resting on the countertop. Long luxurious blue hair with bangs parted in front while the rest hung down to the small of her back with shots of white amongst the cerulean locks.

"Hello, Fox." She spoke, that rich foreign accent of hers quite soft and pleasant to the ears. Not something you would expect from a somewhat notorious bounty hunter.

Fox merely groaned in agitation and slammed down his shot glass. Closing his eyes while gently beating his head against the counter. "Just five fucking minutes would you?" he uttered in palpable building anger. "It's only been a few hours, give me a break." Utterly exasperated that she had found him again. His tired eyes turned to look the Cerinian vixen right in the face. Looking positively haggard with tired dulled eyes.

"Aww, what's the matter, Fox? I thought you enjoyed our little game." She said, smirking playfully at him.

"Bitch, please. I've had it up to here with you chasing my tail like half the skirts in this moronic system. Every day some reporter trying to jam a camera in my nose, and if it's not that; It's one of Andross's flunkies trying to nail my ass to the wall. All because I killed Papa Andross, not once, not twice. Three. Motherfucking. Times." Slamming his fist hard enough to make a loud solid BANG echo through the bar. He was getting remarkably louder and starting to draw attention. Something Kursed was not too comfortable with, and it showed. Her ears were perked up in an alerted fashion while her eyes surveyed the crowd searching for anyone that she might consider a threat.

Fox, of course, continued undeterred."I've had it up to here with this bullshit. Why can't anyone leave me the hell alone!?" He said as he spoke S with increasing indignation, eyes narrowed as he stood up. It was quite clear who he was, and people were muttering as they looked on The Hero of Lylat now standing next to one of the most notorious bounty hunters in the known systems.

"Every week some shit stain has to come and bother me. Fox! Save us!" He spoke, mocking a weak voice. "We need you to deal with some pirates because we're all so god damn incompetent that we can't do it ourselves! Even though we have the best-damned tech this side of the known galaxy, the best ships and fighter craft, and yet for some asinine reason, we can't seem to contain a bunch of moronic apes that followed a genocidal madman. Who not only built the most insane weapons that no one with any lick of sense would ever use! He also committed experiments on Cornerians and his own flipping species! I swear I feel like I'm the only one in this system sometimes who has god damn good sense." Pausing to drink another shot before continuing his little public rant.

His voice now was a crescendo of vexation. "And don't even get me started on my team! Slippy actually has his uses and Peppy at least kept everything running as best as he could, but Slippy was absolutely goddamn worthless in the cockpit, and Falco, oh fuck where do I even start with that ass hole. More fickle than a fat teenaged girl with self-esteem issues on prom night. Ditched my ass for the millionth time and can't decide if he wants to keep putting his dick in Katt Monroe or be a manwhore for the rest of his life. Fucking hell, Miyu an Fay were more reliable than those two chuckle shits. And now here I am, the Hero of Lylat, no team, no real friends or family, all kinds of money, all the fame and glory I could ever want. With the potential to be swimming in women, but I don't want that. None of it. In other words, Kursed, piss off or just fucking shoot me already. I'm fucking done." He said with an angry snarl and sat down. Ears back and tail limp, grabbing two shot glasses and downing them quickly. Any shadow of a doubt that he was drunk had been completely obliterated.

Kursed sat there with eyes wide and her jaw slacked lightly as if trying to find the words to express what she and everyone in the bar just witnessed. Here was a man who was supposed to be a paragon of what it meant to be a Lylatian: Drunk, pissed off at the system, and looked an utter miserable mess. Unfortunately, things were only about to escalate as a large gorilla came over and placed a hand on Fox's shoulder and spoke in a deep baritone voice. "Think you had enough Mc-" The ape didn't even get a chance to finish his statement as Fox picked up the whiskey bottle and slammed it across the gorillas face. Knocking him out stone cold and shattering the bottle.

Fox McCloud was now spoiling for a fight. Kursed stood up about ready to drop him with a little mental talent she taught herself before a sizeable drunken dog of the German Shepherd breed came lunging at McCloud only for him to sidestep easily. Cup the back of the dogs head and slam their face into the bar top with a loud sickening crunch as his muzzle broke, losing several teeth in the process.

"Who's next?!" He yelled, bellowing a challenge to all the patrons in the bar. It was at this point the entire scene descended into chaos. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kursed stand up and draw her staff weapon out as a calico charged her, making short and easy work of the inebriated feline by cracking him clean upside his face with the head that was adorned with a beautiful sapphire gem. The weapon not even taking a scratch as the distinct clang of metal hitting bone filled the room. Soon the two vulpines were amidst a free for all as they stood back to back fighting off all comers. For Fox, this was just a typical day. Taking a quick moment to check his wrist-mounted computer.

"Yep… It's Tuesday."

For what felt like hours the two brawled it out, and by the time it ended the pair wound up backing up into each other for the two to spin around ready to strike. Both of them looking at one another covered in bruises, various specks of blood and Fox was toting a gnarly black eye. Of all the reactions that she expected. It was not the one she ever thought it would be. Fox started to laugh. It was a long deep drawn out and very sad laugh. A laugh of a man who had it all and yet had nothing. A man who was tired of the inane bullshit he had to put up with day to day, a man who wanted nothing more in life than to be happy, yet denied to him continually.

While Fox was busy having his little breakdown. Kursed acted decisively and cracked Fox upside the head with her staff. Knocking him out with one clean blow. Grabbing him by his scruff as she ground her teeth. "Finally got you, McCloud. Even if it wasn't in the way I planned…" She sighed and rubbed a gloved paw over her face.

**X-X-X-X**

"The things I put up with for money," Kursed muttered aloud, dragging Fox McCloud to the nearest airlock and making sure the damned thing was pressurized before moving to board. Setting the autopilot to undock and keep the airlock sealed before the ship would pull away, she set the coordinates for meteo. After that little shit show, she would need to lay low for a while before making the drop. She made sure McCloud was secure in the brig tossing him inside while double checking the security systems to ensure he would not get free. Kursed arrived on the bridge and fell into the captain's chair while gazing out into the stars. A sigh of relief emanated from her chest.

She had not expected McCloud to be like this. Booze or not, he had been repressing that amount of emotion for a very long time. The entire fate of a system resting on his shoulders. All because the bureaucrats on Corneria couldn't pull their noses out of each other's ass long enough to see the bigger picture. The entire time he had been ranting and raving like a loon, she had been reading his emotions trying to gauge what was wrong with him. She saw a sad, lonely man who wanted nothing more than to be happy. To have friends who were dependable and reliable, to have someone in his life he could confide in. Someone who wanted to be loved not for his deeds in war, but as just another man who did his duty. To have people talk to him as a person, and not worship the very ground he walked on. She could at least in part empathize with him on the former.

The most peculiar thing was that he wasn't mad at her. Hells, he was more pissed off with everyone else in the room and Lylat as a whole. Comparatively? Fox saw her as small fish next to the beef he had with the Lylat System. Kursed let that thought stew in her mind for a bit. Usually, her marks begged for mercy, tried to buy her out so she would leave them alone. A few had even opted for suicide rather than be taken alive. But McCloud? What had struck her was how intense he was as a fighter. The numerous occasions they had run into each other, it had been the most exhilarating fights of her career as a hunter. He was fast, strong, bound and determined. It was why she was so confused as to who that was in the bar just before everything went to hell.

Her claw tips gently tapped on the console to her right. The vixen mulled it over before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter; he's a mark. A job is a job, I won. He lost. That's how the universe works. Only the strong survive." It had been a habit she formed from being out in space for so long and having not much in the way of company but her self. But somewhere in the back of her mind, her conscience reared its head.

_Keep telling yourself that Kursed. One day you just might believe it._


	2. Chapter 2

Screams in the dark, the sounds of energy bolts discharged, yells and cries of pain filled the air. The smell of death, blood and burnt flesh all around her. The din of battle as one name was screamed loudly amongst it all. "Krystal, run!" Kursed bolted upright with a snarl upon her lips as she rose out of her sleep. She sat in her captain's chair where she had fallen asleep the previous evening. Her chest rose and fell with deep panicked breaths, ears back, teeth bared, and her hackles up. Her paws gripped the armrests tightly until her knuckles turned white. Realization dawned on her as to where she was before leaning back into the chair with an exasperated sigh. Several deep breaths and an unsuccessful attempt at regaining control of herself led to her leaving the bridge.

Kursed stood and made her way to her quarters making a beeline for the bathroom. She went immediately to the medicine cabinet and reached for a bottle of pills. She popped the lid and swallowed a couple of the tablets. The medicine helped with her nightmares, helped her relax and keep her emotions under control. She braced her palms on either side of the sink while her teeth slowly ground together. Anxiously she waited for the medication to take hold. The urge to wretch came forward as memories came flooding back. Memories of a time when she was happy when she had loved ones who cared about her well being. Her mother and father, brothers and sisters in the clan, were all torn from her in a great conflict. All because someone got their panties in a twist over her not wanting to marry them.

"I'll kill that son of a bitch. I swear upon the honor of my clan and memory of my ancestors. I will tear out his throat for what he did." She said, staring into the mirror above the sink. Her fangs bared and eyes wild with rage and hatred. It was not long before the medication took hold and the wild hate filled vixen disappeared. Replaced with a calm, emotionless, and calculating machine. She let out a sigh of relief as she was now back in control.

"Time to check on the prisoner." She muttered and saw the digital clock in her bathroom that displayed the time, 07:00 AM. She decided after all that drinking and fighting, he would need some painkillers at the very least, some water. The hangover would probably be quite murderous on him as well. She wasn't a cruel person by any stretch of the imagination. She didn't take pleasure in torment or causing pain. She was a professional, she had standards. Standards that she and Fox McCloud shared.

She may have exiled herself from Cerenia, but she still abided by the Code of Honor and Ethics set down by the elders. Unlike a specific clan she knew. That same clan she had every intention of enacting her revenge upon when she had the money and physical force to do so.

She mulled over all this she made a small plate of food for McCloud, some rice, eggs and a glass of water. She also included some medication to help with his hangover. The protein and rice would help somewhat. The meds required food in the stomach for one to not become sick.

Her boots gently tapped on the floor plating as she moved down towards the brig. Kursed approached the cell in which she kept McCloud. She stared past the humming bars of energy and into the cell. She spied Fox curled up in a corner. Her ears went down flat against her head at the sight that greeted her.

He looked utterly pathetic. His eye was still swollen from the bar brawl, his clothes were disheveled, and he held a look of discomfort on his face. Her ears perked up when a soft whimper left his throat. Never did she ever expect to see The Great Fox McCloud in such a state. Though she couldn't really feel anything due to her medication, she understood pain when she heard it. She was not naive; however, this could be a trick. Fox was a crafty one. She had learned that all too well over the year of chasing him. Kursed reached out with her telepathy, picking up his surface thoughts. To her surprise he was not awake; instead, he was going through a similar event as she had on the bridge.

The orange vulpine was reliving some of his worst moments; pain radiated off his mind. Anxiety, fear, and a great deal of loss combined with regret. Deep, soul-destroying regrets. It was then she realized his rant and rave had been no more than him blowing up. He let it all out in one grand display before it devolved into a brawl. He had needed it, every now and then a person needed to vent.

She turned off the laser grid and entered the cell. Kursed placed the platter down upon the bed. The Cerinian vixen stared at him quietly for a few seconds. The sorry form of Lylat's chosen son, it was pitiful. Her ears cupped forward as Fox's whimpers continued; somewhere in her cold heart, the strings were pulled. Medication or not Krystal came through as she moved her paw to touch his head. She began to rub his head soothingly and sifted slowly through the thick plush coat. After a moment Fox became calm, the pain faded away and was replaced with an odd sort of contentment. He responded almost instinctively while he slept, his head moved into her comforting touch. The look of anguish was replaced with a smile that curled up at the sides of his snout with ears flat against his skull. A tiny little purr left his throat. Kursed in one of her rare moments smiled. She found herself admitting that he was quite a handsome vulpine, and cute in this vulnerable state.

As quickly as those thoughts came forward, she banished them from her mind. Hastily she retreated from the cell. The vixen activated the defenses once more. Fox's emotional problems were not her problems. Her problems were making sure she wasn't caught by the Cornerian Guard. At a solid pace, she made her way back towards the bridge, all the while mentally berating herself for that moment of weakness.

_We really shouldn't have taken this job. It's wrong, we both know this._

Kursed let out a snarl and slammed her fist into the steel wall. Pain jolted up her arm, but she ignored it quite quickly. "The money is too good to pass up. With it, I could get everything I need to get back at the Kalanos."

But is revenge worth leaving an entire system vulnerable without their hero?

"It doesn't matter. None of it does. This is how the universe works." She muttered angrily to herself.

**X-X-X-X**

Fox stirred from his slumber as his nose twitched from the scent of food. His one good eye opened groggily as the other was swollen shut. Slowly his head turned, eyes tracing over the cell he was kept in. A frown covered his face before the world began to spin. All at once the pain from bar brawl combined with a monstrous hangover hit him. He fell forward and dragged his claws along the metal with a deep groan of regret from drinking so heavily the night before. Fox took a deep breath before he began to move around. He grasped for the toilet, his stomach contents churned and swirled in a way that made him feel like he was back in the academy during testing against G-Forces. Fox crawled over to it and gripped the edge of the bowl as he prayed to the porcelain god.

It was several minutes of upheaval in his stomach, but it soon calmed. His eyes turned back to the food on the bed which only made him grimace. However, Fox knew he needed nourishment along with rehydration; otherwise, his predicament would just get worse. Fox chose to down the meal down quickly. He did not want the taste of bile and food to mesh, lest he not keep what nourishment he had been provided down. He took gentle sips of water before he spied two small pills on the edge with a note attached.

Written in a surprisingly delicate and neat script, Fox was once again surprised by his captor. It plainly read "For the hangover." Fox thought about it for a moment. It could be a drug to put him to sleep and keep him that way… no, no, that wasn't Kursed's style. She was an upfront combatant much like himself. Poisons, sleep darts and such were not her modus operandi. He decided to take a chance. Fox took the two pills and swallowed them while he finished the glass of water. The platter was placed near the laser grid and left there. Still unable to fully stand and move, he made his way back over to the bed and crawled under the covers in his wretched state. Fox closed his eyes as he tried to find some comfort. He thought back to all the good times he had, few as they were. Looking for a memory that would help him relax, find the best in this situation. He took solace of the few memories he had of his mother and father, slowly his eyes closed and drifted off into sleep. If only to forget the mess he was in, if only for a little while.

Kursed watched the whole affair from her bridge. The camera in the cell kept an eye on him, easily hidden and quite hard to pick out from the walls. Despite herself, she found her thoughts focused on him. How similar their situations were, parents dead and gone. A system and a world they loathed; although, Fox had one up on her. He had fulfilled his quest for revenge. She had yet to achieve hers.

Once more that little voice in her mind crept up; _He might be able to help us._

"Shut up." she snapped, crushing that very notion before it even began to take root.

**Several Hours later.**

Fox woke from his slumber once more. Emerald eyes squinted as light-filled into his cell. With a groan, he sat on the edge of the cot and held his head. Though a far cry from the thunderous pain he experienced earlier. He was still feeling the after effects.

"Never. drinking. again." He mutters offhandedly. He took in the sights around the spartan cell, nothing but a bed and a toilet. Not that he expected much else. The ruby red lasers at the entrance hummed with powerful force. He knew that security system, it was a doozy and almost impossible to break. If Kursed was half the hunter he thought she was, there was not a single doubt that there would be redundancies in place the moment it went offline. Not to mention the fact he was probably under surveillance at this very moment. Fox had very limited options and he knew it. His tail lay still on the bed with his ears back. He was feeling downcast, hunched over with paws on his knees. Unsure of how to proceed in this situation.

He would not have long to wait in silence as his ears pricked up at the sound of boots tapping off metal. Each step brought him closer to face to face with his captor. His emotions were mixed, part of him was angry, another part of him was impressed that she had finally managed to catch him. The third and final part of him was disappointed in himself for letting his guard down at the worst possible moment. Fox rustled the bed lightly before leaning back against the cold steel. His eyes lingered upon the grid until finally from the right side, Kursed herself appeared.

A brief shot of surprise came across her face before it was replaced with that stoic expression he so often saw her with. The pair locked eyes but not a word was said. To an outsider, it was as though the couple was having a conversation without speaking. It was the unspoken respect of professionals, she had succeeded where he failed. Despite his anger at her success, he was still a bit proud of himself. She was a telepath and had the most significant advantage over him. Yet he had been able to evade her for a full year before finally being brought down. He could not begrudge her for her determination or dedication.

The silence was charged between them. It was at this point his eyes wandered over her figure. He wasn't ashamed to admit he found her attractive. That strong athletic build complimented her fighting style quite well. Her long flowing cerulean hair with shots of white scattered therein. She wore a simple black t-shirt and a pair of shorts that cut off just above the knees. Her bare blue furred arms and legs toted some rather lovely musculature that came from being skilled in hand to hand combat while maintaining a high level of physical fitness. She was not broad in the chest, though she had certain other assets no doubt other men noticed quite quickly. They were certainly nice, but it wasn't those that lept out at him about the vixen. She was as tall as he was, but what did it most for him? The eyes, every curve, every bit of definition in her body was just icing on the cake. She put on a good show of being cold and emotionless, but just behind that, he could see it. The fire, the hunter gazing upon her prey. The will to fight and to leap headfirst into danger. He knew that feeling all too well. The thrill of the fight, the hunt, and the mission. The pulse-pounding conflict of life versus death. Hunter versus the hunted, it was an addiction. The fact that she was just as deadly as himself? Well, that only added to the allure that he felt towards her. ...However… beyond that burning spirit, was a broken soul. Pain and hurt were hidden behind those powerful eyes, a living contradiction. An iron will that had been broken and now was trying to piece itself back together, and doing a miserable job of it. Fox felt uncomfortable, he saw so much of himself in her that it made him want to run, but also made him want to comfort her. No one deserved such a wretched existence. She had such passion and drive, determination and strength. Coupled with her beauty, somehow maintaining that feminine grace while capable of being a stone-cold badass. A true warrior. Yet her mental stability held on only by a thin thread. It both impressed him and made him feel sympathetic towards his captor.

_Maybe that's why I never put her down… I was taking joy out of being the hunted for once. Fighting against an actual competent enemy, not to mention there's a lot of similarities between us, that or the little head was deciding for me because damn. She is one of if not the most gorgeous of vixens I've laid eyes on... I should probably stop considering..._ He didn't even get to finish his thought.

"Yes. You should." Kursed said, rather curtly.

"Aww, what's the matter Kursed. I thought you liked our little game." He said with a smirk. Fox stared back at her. He decided to not let the fact he had been outed by his thoughts bother him.

"Cheeky shit." Kursed shot back, a faint hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"So… what happens now? I rot in this cell till you take me to my inevitable doom?" His head turned up and looked at the ceiling. Paws clasped together as his shoulders slumped. His tone carried defeat in it despite his attempts to hide his previous thoughts and agitation at the situation.

Kursed had not expected that. The fact he would just… give up. She expected more from him, defiance maybe? About how he would escape possible. How he would get free and leave her in the dust. As she looked at him now? She saw not the proud warrior she had chased all over Lylat. She saw a broken, defeated man. Where was the man she had come to respect and even admire for his determination? The warrior with which she had clashed with so many times. The fighter she had come to enjoy testing her skills against.

_This is what you wanted. Your prey, broken and defeated. Now you have it._

_Then why do I feel cheated?_

_Because you took him down when he was vulnerable. Not at all like a fellow warrior._

Her conscience nagged at her, but it was right. Though she had got McCloud, it was not at all in the way she had hoped. A pitched battle between their skills while adrenaline surged through their veins. The smell of blood, sweat and controlled fear at what the possible outcome could be for either of them. No, she took him down while he was drunk and at his worst mental capacity. The victory left a bitter taste within her.

She looked on at him, and for some reason, anger flared up inside. Maybe it was the fact that someone she had such high expectations was acting defeatist. Another possibility was that he accepted his fate and was facing it head-on. She had to admit, she hoped she met her end with half as much dignity he was displaying right now. A sure-fire sign he was not entirely broken.

"That's it? Really? The Great Fox McCloud is giving up? Just like that?" She said, with rapt disbelief.

Fox looked over at her with a raised eyebrow. "What were you expecting? A Saturday morning cartoon hero that shouts "You'll never get away with this!" Please. This isn't a cartoon or a badly written story. You won. I lost. If you're half the huntress I think you are; you have this place locked down tight. Not to mention your telepathy at this range can pick up on my thoughts easily. So any hope of me plotting an escape without you picking it up? Is pretty much futile. Not to mention you have me under surveillance. You have your bases covered. To be frank, I am impressed. If a touch jealous."

Kursed could not help but blink at his reasoning. She had not expected such a well thought out response.

"What?" She spoke incredulously. Both confused at his statement, but also the compliment at the end threw her for a loop.

_I mean... He's not wrong, but to hear him talk like this is just…_

_disappointing?_

_You really need to shut up._

"If I still had a team, I would gladly have traded that windbag Falco for someone like you. You're professional, respectful and you're a born warrior. You have pride, but you don't let it overwhelm you. On top of that your drive to see the job through… well, it's only matched by my own."

Again Kursed was taken aback. Never had anyone paid such close attention to her. Let alone studied her so intently. She hated it. Hated that someone had seen her, she had done all she could to keep herself protected and locked away. Yet this entire time he had observed her as much as she had been watching him.

"You don't know a damn thing about me, McCloud." She snapped back at him as she became defensive.

Fox smiled inwardly, having found a chink in her armor. "Sure I do. My old man, before he died used to say "Son, you can learn all there is about a person when you've fought them face to face. Guns are great for getting the job done, but the true test of a warrior is fighting them in hand to hand. You learn how they think, and find out just what kind of person they are." And you Kursed, I learned a lot about over the year we've been fighting." He finished, turning his head towards her.

"Know what I saw?" He said, staring at her with those dull emerald eyes...

Kursed felt her spine clench. Her ire quickly rose, how dare he deems himself to know her. To even understand what she had been through, the pain and hurt she had endured at the hands of her own kin.

"I saw a broken woman who lost everything. A woman on a mission for revenge." He said plainly as if it was the most obvious fact in the world. "Know how I know? Because you and I have the same story. I've lived it."

Kursed could feel the cry for blood, it was so very close to the surface. Ready to boil over. Her eyes became cold as if death itself gazed upon him. She was ready to snap. If Fox knew, he didn't show it. Or perhaps that was his intent?

"Only difference is, I dealt with my grief. You haven't."

"Shut the fuck up McCloud!" Her anger finally hit the breaking point, and she drew her blaster. The gun hummed with a charge as she aimed it at him through the grid. Wild rage clear on her face. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to pull the trigger. To put down the man who had so clearly seen through her armor and guise. No one could know, no one needed to understand. She was Kursed. That's all that was important for anyone to know.

To her surprise, Fox did not flinch or cower. Instead, he got up and nonchalantly came to the bars. He pressed his forehead against the cool barrel without a single moment's hesitation.

"Do it." He said firmly. "You deserve it. You won. I don't want to face whatever fate is waiting for me. I won't break like that. So, Do it. If anyone should get the kill. It's you." His eyes were dull as if an empty husk stared into her own turquoise hues. Not a single trace of fear in his eyes, only acceptance, and exhaustion. A tired run down man barely into his mid-twenties.

Ten seconds passed, then twenty, then thirty.

Fox looked at her with a glare before a deep growl rose from his throat. "Do. it." He said, firmly. His voice lept with authoritative rage as he barked at her. "The fuck are you waiting for Kursed? I'm giving you the kill! Pull the fucking trigger! END IT." He was trying to push her over the edge.

It was at this point Fox saw in her eyes, the one thing he never expected from Kursed. Fear and… sympathy? Her paw held the blaster, but the gun rattled in her hands. Almost like that of a rookie. A conflict was evident in her eyes.

_Don't you fucking dare._

Her conscience once more reared its head, and for once, she obeyed. Kursed subtly flicked the selector on her blaster and lowered the gun to his chest before squeezing the trigger. A loud crack reverberated throughout the enclosed space. The bolt of red energy struck Fox in straight in his chest, the impact sent him tumbling backward until he fell upon the flat of his back.

Kursed stood there in disbelief, had it been any other man she would have killed him on the spot. Instead, she hesitated… she hadn't wavered since her first kill. She had never seen someone so eager for death. In all her bounties; they always begged and pleaded for life, even going so far as to try to bribe her.

It was the realization that he wanted to die, that is what unnerved her the most. To Cerinians, life was precious, to take it carelessly or throw it away so casually. It disturbed the cobalt vixen. Kursed didn't like killing, she received no joy in causing pain. Her job was a means to an end. She only ever targeted and killed those who deserved it. She knew Fox did not deserve this, but the money would give her the power she needed to complete her mission.

She felt panic set in, a crisis of morals and who she was. Kursed rushed to her quarters as the onset of a panic attack was well on its way. The blaster was thrown on her bed carelessly as she entered her bathroom. The vixen practically ripped open the medicine cabinet to down two more of those tablets just like earlier. The knob of the faucet was turned to full blast, the tap delivered water into the sink. She quickly splashed on her face repeatedly. Desperately she tried to calm herself and control her emotions once more. Fox's words had stabbed deeper than any knife ever could have.

Water streaked down her face, her fur was matted down as she looked at herself in the mirror. Eyes wide as dish plates while her breath came in erratic ragged bursts. Kursed saw herself in such a state and despised how weak she looked. A loud snarl built in her throat before it was unleashed while rearing her fist back and slammed it forward into the glass. She intended to destroy the weakling that stared back at her in the mirror. Spider webs crisscrossed out from the central focal point; sounds of glass shattering echoed throughout her quarters. Tears ran freely down her face while her first bled, glass embedded into the flesh.

**Meanwhile in The Brig**

Fox once more sat up in the brig. He clutched both sides of his skull with a groan while shaking his head. Fox stood uneasily and stumbled slightly before getting his bearings and marveled that he was in one peace.

_Pulse, check._

_Clothes, check._

_Crazy blue bitch nowhere to be seen? Check._

_Okay, well. Let's give it a shot._

Fox removed his left boot and tugged at the heel of it. It came away to reveal a refractor device. Essentially what it would do is send the laser grids harmonics back into the emitters of a cell wall that used energy bars such as these. Fox had learned quite a few nifty tricks of the trade from Slippy about security systems. Just in the case of an eventuality such as this sprang up. Low sec prisons didn't use high tech systems like this. That was reserved for Max sec, or if you're a bounty hunter after some pretty dangerous prey.

Fox took the small circular device he crouched near the cell "door" and slid it forward ever so gently after activating the power source. The invention began to hum lightly before it made contact with the ruby red light. It took only a second before the refractor kicked on and sent the next energy pulse back up into the top emitter, destroying it and the entire system. Fox waited for the sound of klaxons to go off. The tod covered his head and more importantly, his ears. When no red alert came, Fox couldn't believe his luck!

_Maybe I overestimated her?_

Fox shrugged, he wasn't going to waste this chance to escape. The orange vulpine crouched low, taking as much weight off his feet as possible. He slowly made his way through the corridor. He froze in place with his ears perked up and tail fluffed out as the sudden sound of glass shattering reached his ears.

_The fuck was that? Not sure if I should check it out or leave it alone… I might need the codes to her ship, especially if I am going to get out of here._

Fox stalked quietly through the corridor. He could see the bridge clearly with the sealed bulkhead leading up to it. He thought about going right there and having a look around, the problem was that he still had Kursed to contend with. It was at this point his ears perked up once again as they caught the most unlikely sound Fox would ever consider being in the same galactic sector, let alone in a nearby room. In fact, the place that was closed off right in front of the bridge. The craft was no doubt small, meant for one or two people. Not a large capital ship by any means. His ears confirmed it as he approached with all stealth. Pressing his ear against the door, the sound was unmistakable.

_Is she… holy shit, she is! She's crying._

At that moment, Fox felt a myriad of emotions run through his system. The strongest one was a sense of remorse. He thought back to what he said to her and found his mind wandering at that moment. Fox shook his head, he could practically hear his father's voice berating him.

_Sure she's a deadly bounty hunter, but she's still a person under all that baggage._

Fox Shook his head at the thoughts going through his mind. _The hell is wrong with me? She's been trying to capture me for a year, and I'm feeling like the ass hole? I mean.. She's not a bad person, that much is obvious. Otherwise, she would've killed all the people that had gotten in her way numerous times._

Fox continued this inner monologue for some time before shaking his head once more. He picked himself back up and made his way back to the cell. Plopping himself down on the bed.

_This is so stupid. Why am I doing this? I should be taking advantage of the situation and subduing her so I can escape!_

He thought about this for a good moment. "Escape to what though?" He muttered aloud. "Slippy's gone off to do whatever on Corneria. Falco fucked off cause I wouldn't take every sleazy job that came around. Peppy is pretty much retired, and ROB is a toaster. I hate the media, Fara is a total control freak. All I have to go back to is a big empty ship." Fox leaned his head back against the wall, eyes gazing up at the ceiling.

It was then a realization dawned on him. One that made him sick only further increased how despicable he felt. "I said those things to hurt her… because I knew they would. Fuck, I really have sunk to the bottom. Hero of Lylat, using someone's personal history to break them and torment them. I'm a fucking joke." Fox finished his one-sided conversation, he then laid himself upon the bed and turned on his side. "I deserve to be here."

Fox lay there for what felt like an eternity. He tried to sleep, but it wouldn't come. Fox tossed and turned before finally sitting up. Fox was about to possibly do the dumbest thing he could think of in this situation. More than likely it was going to get him stunned again, but he had to at least try. Or at least that's what his honor told him. Fox took a deep breath as he made his way from the cell and back to Kursed's quarters. With his ear to the door he listened for her, he caught only the sound of light sniffles

_Well, she's still awake, so that's a good thing… I think. Makes this a bit less suicidal._

Fox took a deep breath and pressed the button that opened the door. It slid with a mechanical whirr and hiss of hydraulics. He did not enter, but already Kursed's head spun to look up at the door and see her captive. Her emotional pain forgotten if only for a moment, she snapped up the pistol that had been tossed on her bed and aimed it towards Fox. His hands shot up in a gesture of peace. Displaying to Kursed that he was unarmed.

"Whoa! Whoa! Hang on Kursed. Please, don't shoot." He said quickly. "I just came to say something then I'm heading back to my cell, I swear."

Kursed looked at him with suspicious eyes sad eyes, tinges of red outlying from her sorrows. "What, going to insult me some more? Hurting me wasn't enough?!" She spat back at him, voice full of venom. Her finger on the trigger, ready to squeeze. It was Fox's reaction that made her hesitate. His ears went back, and his tail fell limp, whiskers drooped. T

Fox saw those beautiful eyes, and to them tarnished. It was as bad as taking a knife to the chest.

He found his courage and finally spoke. "That's why I'm here," he said in a somber voice. His eyes were cast down at the floor before they picked up and looked her firmly in the eyes. She saw it clear as day, his dull eyes were full of remorse.

"What I said back there, was hypocritical, it was wrong and despicable of me to do so. I took my own personal demons out on you because I knew I could and that it would hurt you. I knew it would because both of us are so broken inside. It's so easy to hurt people like us, we have so many wounds we try to hide from everyone. We put on a strong face, but it does nothing to ease the hurt. I don't think I can say anything that could get you forgive me for doing that. For exposing your wounds in such a manner. Regardless… I am sorry, I deserve everything that's coming to me for what I said to you and the damage I inflicted." His eyes never left hers while he spoke. His voice had been quiet, as if though to talk too loud would shatter everything.

Kursed was confused, unsure of how to respond. The fact not even an hour ago he had spoken words that had sent her spiraling. Now he was here apologizing? Free of his cell, her emotional mind wanted to squeeze the trigger, wished to take satisfaction from hurting him like he had hurt her. However, Krystal once more reared her head.

_It's an olive branch, take it for what it is. Put this to rest. Don't continue the cycle._

Kursed ground her teeth as her conscience spoke. Once again, she listened. Twice in one day, a record.

"I'll head back to my cell now." He muttered. Slowly Fox turned around with his hands still up while moving from the door.

"Wait." Kursed finally said, finally breaking the poignant silence.

Fox's ears perked up slightly to listen as he heard her take a soft breath.

"Thank you, Fox. Apology accepted. Now, get your ass back to your cell before I shoot you." Her voice had started off kind, almost sweet. Naturally, it turned to the more rough edges of the Kursed he knew towards the end. Though the effect wasn't one, either of them would have expected. A little smile crept it's way across his snout.

"Yes, Ma'am." He replied, his tone carried a mildly playful tone. Fox made his way back to his cell and laid down with his eyes staring up at the ceiling. He felt better that at least he had done something right for once. Even if it was utterly insane and prefaced by a completely foolish mistake.

_Maybe… just maybe there's a shot that the two of us can get out of this mess._

Pilots always liked having a shot. Even if it was a long one.


	3. Chapter 3

Kursed lay upon her bad, eyes directed at the ceiling. Her thick bushy tail swayed lazily while her thoughts drifted back to the events that had occurred just mere minutes ago. Fox had escaped his cell, and were it any other situation, she would be alarmed and putting the culprit down with a headache the size of the Mt. Koasha. Kursed however, was not worried at all, and that's what confused her the most. She was professional, she was on point, not once did she doubt her skills. Yet she could not bring herself to get up from her bed, slam his head into the wall and knock him out with her psionics. Instead, she just threatened him and told him to go back to the cell that was quite obviously busted before she shot him.

_This is not like me… not like me at all. I should be down there beating his ass and throwing him into another cell after a search._

The vixen attributed it to the fact that she had just recovered from a panic attack and wasn't at all in her right mind. Her nagging conscience did not support it. That voice kept whispering to her to sit down and level with Fox. It only served to piss her off more. Any feeling of normalcy was replaced with seething anger.

_What has anger ever gotten us?_

Kursed ground her teeth as her conscience spoke again. She did not, however, crush it like she usually did.

Fox McCloud had killed Andross, a tyrant of one of the most influential planets, three times. He's destroyed fleets, slain probably thousands of pilots and soldiers. Yet he has maintained being humble and good at heart, lesser men would have let the fame go to their head. A weaker man would be so far up on his own ass, he would be intolerable.

Kursed flicked her left ear in agitation as a series of thoughts crossed her mind. But not him, not that dashing vulpine. I beat him, chased him all over the system, and he comes to apologize for hurting me. It's unreal. He's… he's either stupid, or he really is that sweet under all that baggage.

A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her snout. Her mind wandered back to the various encounters: The jeers and taunts they hurled at each other across multiple planets. The hand to hand fights. High speed chases across Cornerian highways. Death-defying acrobatics through the very asteroid field they were hidden in. Games of cat and mouse through the crowded halls of various space stations.

_Sure it's been a job, but he made it fun. He had so many chances to take me down, and I had more than enough times to drop him. Yet neither of us had the will to do so. Why?_

And there it was. The question that was smoldering in her mind. Why? Why hadn't they taken each other down? Why hadn't he alerted the Cornerians to her presence, he had contacts all over the system. He could've easily been placed in protective custody, somewhere she never would have found him.

_Because that's not his style. We're alike in many ways. I know he's a good guy. What he said about his father, you learn all you need to about someone when you look them in the eye and fight them hand to hand. He wasn't wrong. Gods know I've read his mind enough times to understand him better than anyone._

She reasoned that even if he said he had put his ghosts to rest, that kind of hurt never truly goes away. Not for a long time. Hers was still raw, burning within her, crying out for vengeance. Where his had dulled, hers was still fresh. He understood her just as she did him. It only took until now to realize just how much. The idea that someone truly comprehends what she went through It was a realization that shocked her. One that made her both simultaneously uncomfortable, and hopeful.

_The question is; do I take this chance to break a contract, destroy my reputation as a bounty hunter, and place my future in one man's hands?_

She tapped along the six-pack beneath her white belly fur. Kursed contemplated her future. If Fox McCloud was the hero that Lylat purported him to be. Then it would be a cinch? Right?

_But what if that hero no longer exists? You saw how broken he is. How tired he looked._

_We don't have much to lose and everything to gain. Maybe try actually talking to him first?_

It was that idea that seemed so alien to her. Kursed was used to shooting first and asking questions later. She wouldn't even interact with prisoners except for feeding them. Hers was a life of violence, mercilessly hunting prey.

Now? Kursed knew she was confronted with a choice. A deep personal choice. If she took Fox to her employer for this contract. He would die, a good man killed because of her greed and desire for revenge. The other road possibly led to redemption and bringing justice to her fallen kin.

_But is it worth the risk? I would be gambling it all on one man._

The blue vixen lost track of time as she lay there. Going over all these thoughts and more before she came to a conclusion. Kursed grabbed herself a quick shower and checked the wound upon her hand. Her first had ceased it's bleeding, the injury was superficial at worst. She had endured far worse things.

Kursed made her way to the small kitchen, it was nothing special, a small stove, microwave and a fridge large enough to keep her going for a couple weeks. The most crucial part, however, was the coffee maker. A simple pot of coffee could make a world of difference for one's attitude, and right now, she needed a cup that was blacker than endless depths of space. She found herself somewhat more relaxed, the medication she had taken earlier was in full swing. Everything was eerily calm and quiet, her thoughts were clear. Even her conscience had finally fallen silent. Giving her ample time to think rationally.

The blue vixen was grateful for this; as she needed time to think about her next move. Right now she was in a bind, no place to really run to, nowhere to hide. They couldn't conceal themselves forever in Meteo, it would eventually be one of the places they would comb through, and well, that would be bad for her as Corneria would undoubtedly want their golden boy back.

Tapping her table in thought, she knew one person who might be able to help her. Someone who had been supplying her with information and gear during her operations in Lylat. They were reliable, thus far trustworthy, and the information had always been excellent.

It was really her only choice at this stage.

Kursed went back to her room and recovered her personal computer. It was a very slim device, something you could hide in nooks and crannies. She returned to the kitchen and set it up, connecting it to the ship's inbuilt wireless connection. This would allow her to bounce an encrypted signal off of nearby communication satellites, allowing for fast, discreet and well-protected conversations. She had acquired this tech from her contact in the system, it had cost a pretty penny for it, but it was well worth it.

With the password entered she began to ping the private network that tunneled directly to her contact.

_This gear should be standard for all bounty hunters. Hell, mercs in general._

It took a few minutes, Kursed idling while she sipped on her coffee. Emptying her first mug only to get a refill, mulling over recent events until finally, a window pinged on her screen. Black with a text box and awaiting blinking cursor for her input.

Once more she entered the network's password, and it made the connection within seconds. The first message came not long after that. As if her contact had been waiting for her.

**KKBar:** I was wondering when you would come a calling Blue.

Kursed gave a sort of smirking frown. Yea, her contact was good.

**Blue:** It's not like I have many options, especially after that shit show on Arcturus.

**KKBar:** I'm guessing you need a little bit of help yea? Can tell you right now, this won't come cheap, considering who you're hauling around.

Kursed chewed on her bottom lip in consternation. A little growl left her throat before her fingers were flying across the keyboard.

**Blue:** I know, I need a safe house to lay low until the heat dies down.

**KKBar** : Dies down? Sweetheart, you have Lylat's hero in your cargo hold. The best you can hope for is they don't put a bounty bigger than his on your head to find him, but I get what you want. Someplace to hunker down out of the way. Somewhere you can plan your next move.

**Blue** : Yes, how much?

**KKbar** : 200,000.

Her face gawked, that was pricey indeed. Thankfully she was quite successful at what she did. So it would not hurt her account too much. She would still be in the black.

**Blue** : Done. I'll wire transfer it to you upon arrival. Now, where am I going?

It was several minutes of waiting until the message pinged up.

**KKbar:** Luckily, you're nearby to one of my old hideouts. It's got shielding that prevents scanning and gives false readings if anything does get through. It looks rickety and abandoned so no one will dock with it unless they're desperate for salvage. In which case the automated defenses will take care of them. I'll add you both to the IFF network, so you don't get riddled full of holes.

**Blue:** Right, send me the coordinates and as soon as we're settled. I'll post the money.

**KKbar:** Done and done, coordinates should be on your screen.

Kursed read them out to herself and then uploaded them to her navcom. The computers autopilot plotted a course to their destination.

**Blue:** Thanks. I owe you one.

**KKbar:** Don't thank me just yet, you're far from out of the woods.

**KKbar Signed off.**

With the connection severed, Kursed sat back in her chair. Her computer powered down as she finished the last of her coffee. Her eyes drifted over to the pot, there was enough left for two cups. The vixen clicked her tongue in thought and decided that Fox could probably use some. She refilled her own mug and poured one for her "prisoner." The ship wouldn't need a pilot, the nav computer would take care of everything.

Her booted feet tapped lightly off the metal as she made her way to the brig and busted cell. Not genuinely caring enough to silently approach. Fox lay quietly upon the cot, arms behind his head that was upturned and facing the ceiling. He had heard her coming down the hall, as proven when he sat up on his elbows. His eyes locked with her own before moving down to the coffee in her hands.

A little smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Please tell me one of those is for me. I could use a cup."

Kursed chuckled quietly. "Nah, I thought I would cock tease you with a cup and two fist em." Holding out the mug in her left hand for him as he got up and moved on over. Gingerly he cupped the mug in his palm. Shaking his head with a snicker. "Pretty sure you could tease me in other ways than with a cup of joe."

That snicker was accompanied by a grin as he had a playful glint in his eye. Kursed flushed lightly under her cheeks at the implication.

"Watch it, just because we're on somewhat speaking terms does not mean it will prevent me from laying your ass out if you get fresh," Kursed said as she eyed him severely.

Fox merely nodded in response, taking a sip of the coffee with a satisfactory sigh at the end. "Coffee, beverage of the gods."

The Cerinian vixen could not help but agree. Coffee had kept her running for a good long time. She had no idea where she would be without the stuff. Kursed channeled her telepathy and scanned Fox's thoughts. She sensed that he had picked up that they were moving, and going somewhere. Impressive really, ships these days had quite fantastic dampening technology. The fact he could pick up when they were moving was quite a talent.

"We're going to a safe house, I organized something with a contact of mine. A little-abandoned mining station here in Meteo." Kursed explained, looking at Fox now with a neutral expression.

Fox bobbed his head in acknowledgment, drinking the coffee slowly, the coffee was black, not much for taste, but the caffeine and habitual nature of it was undoubtedly helping with his weak mind. "So, what does that mean for me?" He says softly, eyes gazing at her with curiosity, wondering what fate lay in store for him.

Kursed sipped her own cup and thought about it for a moment before reaching her answer. "So long as you don't fuck with anything, or try to screw me over. You can have free reign of the place. I would like to think that we can at least trust each other in that regard." She finished her statement with a raised eyebrow, expecting some kind of retort.

To her astonishment, he smiled, his tail even got a bit of a wag to it. "Trust you? Kursed, you might be a bounty hunter, but I know you well enough that I would trust you with my life. You have never harmed an innocent and always remained focused on catching me. I have tons of respect and trust for you. Your record speaks for itself."

"Certainly full of praise for someone who's taking you to your doom." She rebutted.

"Are you taking me to my doom?" He said, head canted to the left with ears perked forwards. "The fact that we're going to a safe house might mean you're having second thoughts. Or waiting for a chance to take me to whatever drop off there is. Either way, I'm not going far. So you have nothing to worry about. If you need to, can even dive into my head if you like. I won't resist." He finished with a shrug of his shoulders. Still, he offered that friendly disarming smile.

"You are taking this way too well. Most people would be fighting tooth and nail. How can you be so calm?" Once more disbelief was rearing its head. She was confounded, one minute he was a broken, tired man. Now he was acting like this was just another day at the office.

The todd let out a soft chuckle that did little to hide his amusement. "Kursed, I face death almost every day: I've been stabbed, shot, more than a few bones have been broken. This is nothing new. Well, other than the fact I've been captured by a rather beautiful and dangerous magical blue space vixen." He smirked at her, tipping his coffee mug just enough to where she could only see the mirth in his eyes.

She groused at him, mildly flustered from the compliments. "Keep it up flyboy, and I'll beat your arse into the ground." Her eyes easily mimicking that of daggers with how she stared at him.

Fox was not one to be deterred, however. "Sounds like a challenge to me. I mean, as for why I'm comfortable or taking this well. It's just us, alone, in space. No one around for days, maybe even weeks. Who knows what could happen in that time span." His tone took on a slightly suggestive nature, a comical waggle of the tops of his eyes accompanied for emphasis.

With arms still crossed she raised an eyebrow before a little smile tugged at the corner of her mouth from his antics. "You really are an idiot. You know that?" Her voice was neutral but had underlying amusement in her tone.

Fox smirked after taking a gulp of his coffee and finishing it off with a smack of his lips. "Gotta do something to keep me going. If I were a miserable shit twenty-four seven, I would have given my blaster a good suck start long ago. I just do what I can to keep my spirits up." He finished up and finally looked at her. "Dumb question… but can I use your shower? I'm starting to smell a bit rank."

It was at this moment Kursed sniffed the air and cringed. He wasn't wrong.

"Yea… there's towels and shampoo in there. Just don't touch anything or-

"Yea yea, you'll beat my arse." He said while chuckling, mimicking her rich accent in a tease. "I'm sure that won't be the last time you make that threat. Though getting my ass kicked by such a skilled woman wouldn't be the worst thing I imagine."

 

Meanwhile, aboard the Catspaw Katt Monroe sighed with her back leaning into the chair. Tapping a hand upon her knee. The pink feline grumbling aloud. "Oh Foxy, what have you gotten into now?" She muttered, looking to her left. "Guess I gotta go bail you out again."

A few taps on her computer and a comm window opened up. A few rings and a tired looking Falco picked up. "Eh… Pink? Why you callin'? Something wrong?"

A little smile crossed her white-furred snout. "I'm doing fine Falco, but we have a problem. Fox got into some trouble we need to go bail him out." Katt languidly leans back into her pilot seat. Her gaze one of fondness at the blue avian.

"What? You mean that idiot? Count me out Pink, I want nothing to do with him." As soon as those words left his beak, Falco looked into his comm, seeing Katt giving him a somewhat dubious gaze.

Katt's lip twitched slightly in agitation at his response while her foot began tapping impatiently on the console. Every second she spent bickering with Falco, was another second Fox spent in captivity. Who knew how long Kursed would really be there before she left. The Cerinian vixen was a damn good hunter. Finally, Katt answered Falco in kind "I'm VERY certain that feeling is mutual Falco. After all, you left his ass high and dry again… I think this is the third time now? I've lost count. You owe him still for all the shit you have pulled over the years and how many times he's covered for you. You saved him only a handful of times compared to the dozen, or so he's kept you from behind bars or winding up in a casket." Katt knew she was right, Falco was a loyal soul, he just happened to be very flighty.

She continued on, laying it on thick trying to get Falco to agree. "C'mon, we don't leave our friends or family behind. Remember the Hot Rodders?" It was a dirty trick to use their old gang to get what she wanted from Falco, but she wasn't going to let Fox die because Falco couldn't get over his damn stubborn pride.

Falco sat there, sighing as he looked into the communicator, mulling it over in his head. "No. I'm done with him." He stated flatly. "Fox got himself into this mess, he can get himself out."

_Damn stubborn bird._

"Fox is in this mess because his friends abandoned him… Falco." The way she spoke his name made it very clear she was less than pleased with him. "He kept on trying to defend the system by himself. You left because he wouldn't take any old job. Some of those jobs which I am highly surprised you even considered."

Falco suddenly went wide-eyed, and he took a defensive posture. "What!? We needed the money!" he squawked. Katt however, would not let him finish. "Raiding? Really? You're on the level of Star Wolf now?" That stung Falco right in his pride, she knew it did, but she had to get her point across.

"I could fly circles around those flunkies! I'm nowhere near as bad as them." He snapped angrily, giving her a death glare.

"Then why is Wolf's Team still together while Fox is alone, and in it deep?" _Check and Mate birdy._

He sat there trying to come up with a response, grumbling to himself before he resigned to his defeat and threw his wings up with a sigh. "Fine, fine. What are we fighting?" He grumbled.

"A Cerinian." She stated flatly, attempting and succeeding in hiding her glee at getting him to agree.

Falco's eyes near bulged out of his skull. "Are you fucking crazy?!" Falco's voice exploded in a high pitched squawk. Not the reaction Katt had hoped for. Her ears twitched from the loud piercing noise of Falco when he got high pitched. "Sweet tap dancing creator Katt, we don't have that kind of gear! They'll know we're coming long before we even dock!"

"Yes, birdy." She said through bared teeth. "I understand that, which is why we will have to be extra careful on approach. Emptying our thoughts will be key, and obviously not thinking too loudly. Something I know you're good at." Katt finished her sentence with a little smirk tugging at the right side of her white-furred snout.

Falco nearly opened his beak to say something, but swiftly thought twice about it. "Alright, fine... where are we meeting up?" He spoke with no small amount of grousing.

"Corneria Spaceport, they're in the Meteo belt at one of my old hideouts. Get your Arwing ready, and we'll make for the station. I have control of the sensors and such from my Catspaw. We shouldn't have to worry about being detected that way. See you soon bird brain." She placed two fingers to her lips and blew him a kiss. Katt then slid forward in her chair before Falco could respond and brought the call to an end.

"Alright, gotta get my toys and gear ready. Don't you worry Fox, Katts got your back." She sighed, hoping Fox was alright.

**Derelict mining station M3320**

**2 Days Later**

The sound of footpads hitting metal filled the cool empty hallway of the old mining station that currently housed Fox McCloud and Kursed. The station itself wasn't bad at all. On the outside, it looked like trash, but inside it was like an apartment complex. Rooms aplenty for more than a few denizens. A fully stocked larder where everything was vacuum sealed, alcohol, soft drinks. There was even a holoset for connecting to various stations to get news and entertainment. Most importantly of all though, it had working plumbing and a gym.

Thus her destination was the gymnasium. To say the last two days had been tense would quite possibly be the understatement of the century. Fox nor she had said a word to one another, mostly respectful nods, a "Good Morning" here and there. She would let him use the shower to bathe and the like. Other than that, it had been peaceful, Kursed often thought about delving into Fox's mind to see what was going on. She knew to respect his privacy. She wanted Fox to trust her as much as possible, and entering his mind space without consent was not only a heinous crime among Cerinians, but it would also destroy any hope she had of him cooperating with her.

Kursed hummed quietly to herself, her hair was done up in a ponytail, soft paw pads touching the cold metal floor, both her hands and feet wrapped up and ready for a bit of physical training. It would help her ease her troubled mind, to maintain her focus. The arduous training her people endured in becoming full-fledged warriors was practiced, meditative, fluid, yet precise. She would be delighted to get to practice on one of the bags in the gym. The black wraps around her hands flexed with her palms while she smiled genuinely, a purple sports top covered the necessary bits for decency along with a pair of sweat shorts of the same color covered her upper thighs and down to her knees. It left little to the imagination and accentuated her curves in a very flattering way.

Overall she was in good spirits, the medication had been keeping her in check. She was in a favorable spot. Her reverie, however, would be cut short as she entered the gym, the door was open, and she could hear music blaring within, something rough, aggressive, not violent or hateful. It was something to keep the blood pumping and push you to improve.

She slipped further into the gym, closing the door behind her. The cobalt vixen easily picked up on the metal clanking of heavyweights. Her tail swayed with curiosity, all around her were various pieces of workout equipment, treadmills, weight lifting sets, punching bags and target dummies for weapons practice.

Gingerly Kursed tiptoed around till she spotted her quarry, crouching low on one knee with eyes locked on target. Her form hidden in the darker section of the dimly lit gym. She could not help but give a tentative lick of her lips at what she saw laid out before her. There was Fox McCloud in all his glory, a pair of sweat shorts, sweaty and pumping iron. His thick orange and white coat lightly bristled with each rep, each muscle group upon his arms flexed and rippled beneath the fur. His pectorals heaved like mountains with each lift, A low snarl tore from his throat as he pushed himself to lift the immense weight. Sounds of exertion mixed with the heavy music and clanging of metal. Kursed found herself entranced, biting and chewing her bottom lip lightly as she drank in his form, watching every inch of muscle flex.

Typically, she would not have thought twice about such things. However, these were not normal circumstances. While they had not chatted all that much with each other, they had known each other for the better part of a year and being in this close proximity for once without trying to knock each other around. It had led to some odd feelings creeping up in her mind. Emotions that were directing themselves towards this orange stallion of a fox.

Kursed stuck to the shadows of the room, moving around quietly like a huntress on the prowl. Finally making her way to the radio that was blaring his music and flicked it off. Throwing Fox off his rhythm and making her chuckle lightly as he set the weights down and sat up. His head turned to the radio only to spy Kursed in her attire.

She watched as his eyes trailed her feminine figure head to toe. Taking in every bit of her, seeing various scars dotted about from her career. Kursed found herself liking the way he looked upon her. It was appreciative, filled with warmth combined with a bit of hunger in his bright green eyes. A little grin spread across her snout. "It's not polite to stare you know." She said with nonchalance carried in her tone, gazing at her slender hand, scrutinizing each end of her fingers.

His head snapped up with his ears turning red, though it was soon followed by a sly little smile. "Not that I can really help it, you look great." It was such a simple compliment, but it had a profound effect on Kursed. Her cheeks flushed red and quickly wilted her ears back so as not to let Fox see it. She rolled her eyes as if to be annoyed with her "Prisoner" before her vision landed back on him. "Well, I was coming down here to work out, get rid of some of this stress, however, I have a much better idea. How about a little sparring match?"

Fox's ears perked up at the idea, his eyes gazing upon the warrior vixen before him, her tattoos on full display, the strange sun tattoo with four points and a series of links around her upper arm. "Sounds like fun to me." He replied. "What are the stakes?"

"Stakes?" She inquired.

"You know? If you win, you get something, I win, I get something. Makes it interesting and puts something on the line rather than just bragging rights." He says, a playful smile crossing his lips before he stood up and began a series of stretches to ease the tension in his muscles. Kursed couldn't help but let her eyes wander, she might be cold and a hunter, but she was still female. A few years without any companionship or attention and anything starts looking good. To her, Fox was looking like a piece of beef tenderloin with all the fixins.

Kursed shook her head as she banished those thoughts from her mind. She wasn't a slave to her hormones, and she would be damned if she succumbed to them now. "Hmm… if I win, you cook and clean around here till we leave." She said arms crossed while toting a grin across her snout.

Fox actually chuckled. "If you win, you'll never want me to leave considering I can make quite the meal. Hmmm, alright, and if I win…" he cupped his lower jaw with his hand and rubbed his chin. Kursed was expecting something boyish, like a kiss or something suitably lewd. The answer she received, however, made her nervous. "If I win, you tell me about yourself."

Kursed gulped and offered up a hesitant response. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean Kursed. I want to know more about you, why you're this way, what Cerinia is like. You can't play the whole "I know nothing about you." Pull up the net, and you'll find everything on me. I know you're a capable warrior, what Cerinian isn't? I know you can read minds and other things. I want to know more about Kursed the vixen, not Kursed, the hunter." He finished up, gazing at her quietly.

Kursed shifted on her feet nervously before locking eyes with Fox. "Why?" she whispered quietly, feeling put on the spot. Her body language carried into the tone and Fox could see it.

"Do you want an honest answer or would you like me to embellish?" He rebutted.

Her tune shifted faster than Fox could ever imagine. Kursed glared at him and growled. "Stop playing games Fox. Answer the question."

Fox nodded to the cobalt vixen. "Well, to preface, if trust is an issue here between us, knowing a bit of your history and who you are will go a long way to help me understand you as a person. I understand you as a fellow fighter, but that's where it ends. That being said… I am sure you've already picked up on it, but I find you amazingly attractive. Not just because of the blue fur or any parts of your body, but because of what I know about you, and I would like to know more." Fox himself was nervous, she could see it plain in his eyes. He was being honest, lowering his personal armor. The fact that he confessed to finding her attractive, he had quite literally placed himself in her power.

If that was a thought stopper, what came next blew her mind, she never expected Fox to bare any of the man hidden away, even if it was just a fleeting glance. "I got low a couple times over the year of our chase. Like, really low. To the point where I put a blaster in my mouth and was ready to pull the trigger. I would close my eyes, and I would hear my father yelling at me, people berating me for my cowardice. Needless to say, thankfully, I was pulled back from the brink." He finished quietly. His tail hung limp and to the side.

"Why tell me this?" Kursed said, approaching him carefully. Confused as to why he would expose something so damning, so intimate.

"Because I want you to know that I do trust you. Even Peppy doesn't know I've almost put an end to things." He felt weak in her eyes like he was a pathetic excuse for a male. That he would ordain to take his own life and opt for the cowards way out.

Kursed could not lie, she felt a bit of scorn for him. That he would be so weak, yet he had recovered and now was here, alive, and very much alone with her. Her tender side was trying to rear itself, she wanted to embrace him, hold him. Pet him on the head and comfort the vulpine before her.

She would have none of it. Kursed silenced that part of her without mercy. Yet still, her heart tugged, she understood how lonely one could get. There was one thing that he didn't answer, and she wanted to know. "What stopped you?" Her left eyebrow arched slightly, curiosity burned within her eyes.

Fox brought his head up to look her in the eye, the faintest of sad smiles crossed his lips. "That's for me to know Kursed. You might find out one day." He eased back into his defensive posture, his emotional armor fixed itself back into place. Fox stretched out languidly "Are we going to spar or what?"

And just like that, the moment ended. The two having gained a better understanding of each other, but still miles apart.

Kursed balled a fist and smacked it into her opposite palm. A wide grin crossing her face. "Let's get to it."


	4. Chapter 4

Fox was in a state of absolute excitement; both Kursed and himself danced across the sparring mat, heavy, labored breaths filled the air while sweat poured off them from exertion. The pair of combatants stood across from each other as they slowly circled, competitive, focused grins plastered across their faces. Thick bushy tails swayed to and fro with a mixture of caution, alertness, and excitement. Fox found himself impressed; her staying power was phenomenal, and there were very few people who could keep up with him in Lylat concerning stamina. She had proven very much to be the exception.

His eyes wandered over her form, gauging her while he looked for a tell of where her next attack would be. He already had a few impressive wounds on himself. A gash found itself just above his left eye where blood flowed down his face, but it did not distract him in the slightest. His right arm felt like jello from a few impacts that she had landed in earlier.

The fighting style she employed was elegant, swift, and agile. It was like watching a river: fluid strikes and movements that transitioned from one attack into the next without ceasing. She only ever paused to counter or block an incoming blow. Her own form carried wounds from the hits he had managed to land. His style was more physical with heavy kicks with rapid punches. Her abdomen had taken more than a few blows to the side. He knew there would be some bruising there, more than likely a broken rib or two. Her bottom lip was busted open, dribbling crimson onto the mat. If that wasn't enough, she sported a black eye as well. Neither combatant was holding back, yet despite the grisly appearance, the two could not be enjoying themselves anymore if they tried.

This was how it should have been when it came to the final showdown; the test of skill, fighting each other one-on-one in honorable combat. Fox was on the defensive, moving and nimbly dodging strikes. With how he was reacting, Kursed changed up her strategy.

Opting out of her aggressive tactics she had been using, the cerulean vixen began to move forward with caution, her svelte body moving fluidly just as she did before. She was halfway across the matt before she made her move; crouching low on one knee, then springing herself forward like lightning. Fox barely had time to react as he spun to her right and out of the way, trying to put his front to her. Yet, by the time he finished, he had little time to raise his guard as she landed on her opposing foot with explosive force, and shot out once more. She left the ground and was utterly airborne when she caught him in the chest with her strong legs. The vixen then used her momentum and natural vulpine flexibility to carry herself around until she was on his back, weighing him down enough to bring him to the ground with a heavy thud. Those thighs locked around his chest and ankles around his abdomen while her arms went under his, bending them painfully upward to render them useless, all the while putting pressure on his chest, compressing his chest cavity to the point of making it difficult to breathe.

Fox was a hair's breadth away from losing this fight as he lay in her hold. Her taunting voice in his ear, "Give up Fox, I got you now." It was almost a seductive purr that made his ears turn red. Fox could only grin. She was excited by this just as he was.

His only natural response came forth in a strained voice, "I have only begun to fight, Kursed." A smirk crossed his lips; she had left one crucial part of him unrestricted. His legs.

Fox managed to get his right leg braced on the floor and began to rock them, left and right like a tortoise on their back. Kursed was doubling her hold, trying to keep him from moving. Her legs shot down, trying to lock them around his upper thighs, but his momentum kept building until he managed to flip himself onto his stomach. With the energy and hope of freedom in sight, he braced both feet on the sparring matt, then curled himself inward as best he could so he could become smaller and harder to hold. Fox then (quite literally) used his head, using his forehead as an anchor which caused no small amount of discomfort. He began to push hard enough off the floor and right himself up on his feet, managing to lift both himself and Kursed with ease, much to her surprise and no small amount of glee. Even so, the fight was far from over.

The problem was getting Kursed off his back. He needed something, some amount of leverage to wedge her off. He saw his salvation in the form of a nearby locker since they had never established leaving the matt was part of losing. With resistance from Kursed, who tried to impede his way with every step, his muscular legs finally broke the hold Kursed had. His last-gasp effort found him sprinting towards the lockers, and at the last moment, spinning around with his back to it. The sudden burst of speed carried them backward, and she slammed into the metal locker with a loud metal clang, followed by a loud yelp of pain that left her lips. Fox drove her into it, again and again, his superior strength playing its role until he felt her hold loosen and the weight falls away.

As soon as the opening came, he bound away from her and back to the matt. A little concern was written on his face when she didn't follow instantly. It was short-lived, however, as the blue vixen stood up with a growl and spat a glob of blood onto the floor. A wild, gleeful smile crossed her face. "Oh Foxy, this is what I've wanted. This fight. You continue to impress!" Her voice carried laughter within it. "I knew that fighter was still in there!" Fox could only return her smile. The adrenaline was surging through them both, blood pumping, the scents of battle surrounding them. Blood and sweat filled the air.

"Gotta admit Kursed, you've impressed me a whole hell of a lot. Even Wolf couldn't keep up with me like this." Fox praised her for her strength and speed. Both of them were hitting their limits. It was exhilarating. Kursed was having a ball, and not only was Fox showing his true mettle, but the fact she was receiving praise from a bonafide legend was no small thing. Prisoner or not, her heart swelled with pride.

With that wild grin still across her features, she charged into the fray once more, bouncing on one foot and then the other with each step, trying to feign which direction she was going to attack from. Instead of countering or attempting to read his opponent, Fox did the one thing he never did in a fist fight. A frontal assault. He waited until Kursed was in perfect range, and then poured all his might into one single kick that would hopefully lay her low.

Kursed, proving to be ever observant and a strong fighter, saw the leg wind up and come her way. Like the elegant dancer she was, her body bent like water, and the kick sailed overhead in a circular motion. She didn't even hesitate as she moved into the next stage of her ensemble and swept her leg low, only to find the leg she tried to sweep up in the air rushing down to meet her.

Fox had spun dramatically and practically did a mid-air somersault for the other leg to rise and come down to greet her. It was a desperate move, and it paid off. One thought crossed her mind before impact. Fuck.

Kursed felt the force of impact, then knew nothing else as it knocked her stone cold. In the blink of an eye, the fight was over. Fox stood there panting before he fell back with both paws resting on the matt. His chest heaved with deep rolling breaths from the sheer amount of energy expended, while his eyes took in Kursed's unconscious form. A smile creased his lips as a warm thought crossed his mind. Dad would have liked her.

The male vulpine slowly got to his feet, finding his legs to be unsteady. Once he regained his footing, he bent down and scooped the vixen under Kursed's knees, and with an arm supporting her upper back; Fox made his way to the infirmary.

Once there, he laid her on a biobed. Fox took great care in making sure she was hooked appropriately to the system, as it would keep track of her vitals and other internal workings. There was nothing to really do but wait now. He reflected back onto the fight, maybe they pushed each other too hard. The wounds, while nothing life-threatening, were a bit much for a friendly spar.

_She did tell me to not hold back._

He gave it his all, and it had been a close match. Had he been a second later, Kursed would have gotten the better of him. A deep breath came forth, which was followed by a grunt of discomfort. The adrenaline was wearing off, and their actions were coming back to haunt him. The throbbing of his busted brow and his right arm now fell limp to the side. Deep, shaky breaths came with it all. The pain was almost excruciating. To him, it was just another day. He had long learned to cope with pain.

With one final check of the vixens vitals, he made his way to the medicine cabinet. Various medications greeted his eyes, picking out the most potent painkillers while picking up some cloth and other bits to put his arm in a sling. Within minutes, he had his brow bandaged, the arm secured and was feeling marginally better than he did before.

Fox walked back to the bed and sat down, waiting nearby until she woke up. With him was a glass of water and some painkillers on paw that would help her. A little smile crossed his lips.

_Sauria all over again._

He began to reflect on the events on his mission to formerly called Dinosaur Planet, that smile turned into a goofy grin. The thoughts came to an end as Kursed began to stir. She awoke with soft groans of pain filling the air. A paw came up to rest on her forehead, muttering aloud, "Anyone get the number of that cruiser?" Those eyes remained closed as the light was painful to her due to a massive headache that came after their bout.

Fox leaned over with the glass of water and medication on offer. "Here Kursed, these should help." One eye opened just barely to look at him and the items in question. She took them in gratitude only to down them instantly.

A satisfied, yet painful sigh left her throat. "Thanks, Fox. Gimme a few, and I'll be right as rain. Then we'll fix you up."

Kursed watched as his head canted oddly to the side. He didn't quite understand what she meant. She smiled at his confusion. "It's a Cerinian thing. You'll find out in a moment."

Fox merely nodded to her and waited. After a few minutes, she sat up with a huff and placed her palms upon her own body. A gentle glow emanated from both paws as Fox watched on in awe, seeing her wounds heal up. It was like magic. Soon after, it looked as if he never harmed her in the first place.

With eyes wide and expressing disbelief at what he saw. He knew Cerinians were telepaths, but that was something new altogether! "I didn't know Cerinians could heal!" A million questions stormed forth into his mind, though one did come forth to his mind. It was an obvious one but a question he wanted answered. "Why didn't you use that on Sauria?"

Kursed smiled in no small amount of amusement. "There's quite a bit Lylatians don't know about us. We like to keep it that way. You lot are already prejudiced and leery of us; we don't need to add more fuel to the fire. That being said, I would appreciate you not telling anyone about that little ability." She frowned when she processed his last question. "Because I didn't want you to know what I was capable of."

Fox sat there for a moment before nodding his head in understanding. She then reached over to place her palms upon his shoulder. "Now hold still and don't freak," she insisted, a warm little smile on her face as she repeated the same motions as before. Her palms glowed brightly as Fox felt the pain wash away as if he took the most soothing bath of his life. Soon after, his arm felt perfectly fine, the throbbing pain upon his head was gone, and felt like a million credits.

He took his arm from the sling and rolled it in its joint. The muscles felt okay. Hell, his arm felt great! He turned to look back at her. "You really are a magical blue space vixen," he teased and got punched in the arm for his troubles.

The cerulean vixen still had that smirk on her face."Just don't go blabbering about it. And you're welcome, by the way." She sighed and leaned back into the bed.

"Thanks, Kursed. So, what do you want for dinner?" he asked out of the blue.

Those ears on her head perked up curiously as she looked towards him with those startling aquamarine eyes that made his heart melt every time he gazed into them. "Last I checked Fox, you won... So you don-"

"You kicked my ass just as much as I kicked yours, in all honesty," Fox interrupted. "I would have called that fight a draw. Had I been but a couple seconds later, you would have had me. So, It's only fair you get second place prize. I'll make dinner. Now, again, what would you like for dinner?" It was clear that he was not taking no for an answer, with arms crossed as he spoke.

Kursed stared at him before a soft chortle started in her chest that soon turned into rolling laughter. Fox promptly joined her as the pair felt their woes leave them in one of the most beautiful fashions of healing. Laughter.

Tears were rolling down her cheeks as she managed to regain some semblance of control. She was beaming a smile at Fox. "I swear, if you were a Cerinian, you would have women chasing you all the time. You're just too good to be real. I'm starting to wonder if I slammed my head somewhere and this is all a hallucination."

Fox had a grin spanning from ear to ear. He shook his head. "What? I like to cook. Besides, you earned it," he nodded for emphasis. "Not to mention the whole healing thing."

After some time, the two regained full control of their sensibilities. Kursed sat on the bed and moved over, letting her legs dangle off the side. Her gaze was one of apprehension, a far cry from a moment ago. "So I guess you'll be wanting your reward then?" she asked, her tail sweeping across the bedding in mild agitation.

The todd across from her took on a look of neutrality before nodding, but not before adding, "Only when you're ready. I don't want you to force it." He said with a friendly smile to reassure her. He was delicate about it, but not in a condescending way.

Kursed suddenly felt herself on edge, Fox was nice but almost too nice. People were only friendly when they wanted something, or, at least, that's how it was in Kursed's twisted view. "Are you always this nice Fox? Or is it just when you want to get your dick wet?" She spat with eyes locked on him, trying to stare him down. Kursed, however, suffered a significant miscalculation. She felt it long before she saw it. It was in that moment, she knew a line had been crossed.

Everything went to shit in the span of a second.

Fox went from sweet and kind to red-hot anger in an instant. It was so swift that it almost overwhelmed her from the intensity. He was up in her face in the blink of an eye, fangs bared. "Don't you dare accuse me of that! I. Am. Not. Lombardi. And neither am I that disgusting scumbag Panther" he snarled at her, breath washing over her face. Her ears went back in submission. Seeing that anger directed at her, she never knew such fury beside her own existed. Those eyes pierced her like an anti-tank round, she didn't like seeing him like this. She loved it when those eyes were filled with warmth and a fondness.

"I am not trying to get between your legs Kursed. And I sure as fuck don't see you as just some floozy to bed for the fun of it. If that's what you think I want, then I guess I was wrong about the mutual respect." He snapped and turned about, leaving the infirmary at a brisk pace. His tail bristled and hackles up high.

Kursed closed her eyes with tail limp, and head hung low.

_Way to go._

_Shut up._

_That was your fault, and you know it. You let your suspicions toy with your emotions, and you jabbed at Fox without a good reason._

_How the hell was I supposed to know that was a sore spot!_

_Did you forget the part where we're telepathic?_

_….damnit…._

X-X-X-X

The harsh plodding of feet filled the empty hall. Paw pads met metal as Fox moved down the hallway. He was in a fury. Every single time this had to happen to him: he found someone that seemed to actually see him as a person and actually treat him with a modicum of respect, then something would inevitably happen and it would all go to hell.

Fox did not pay attention to where he was going, all he saw was red in his eyes. The anger, the hurt, it plagued his mind and heart. He liked Kursed; she caused stirrings in his soul that had long since been lost to him, or so he felt. It seemed as though the universe slapped him once more, denying him even the most remote chance of having someone he could count on, even if they were only a friend.

Shortly, he wound up in the armory, filled wall to wall weapons of various makes. Melee weapons, firearms both old and new, and plenty of energy based weaponry. He needed something to help him focus, on an instinctual level he knew. He needed to channel his anger before it got out of control. The orange vulpine meandered past rows upon rows of weapons. Those bright emerald eyes came to lay upon a simple lone blaster pistol: compact, not demanding in energy requirements, and effective. The small gun fit comfortably into his grip; ergonomic, easy on the pads. It would do.

Fox, still bare except for his shorts, placed a cell into the grip and let it charge with a dull hum before moving on over to the firing range. With his tail lashing behind him in agitation, his gaze trailed over the pistol to ensure it was ready for use. The safety was off, the sights were aligned, and the battery was good. Fox took a deep breath before pressing a large red button to the right side of his firing lane. Targets began to pop up in two-second intervals. With control of his breathing, he aimed down the sight.

_1...2… Squeeze._

With a soft whine the gun discharged, and a bolt of green flung itself from the barrel and hit the nearest target. The scent of ozone and burning metal filled the air as it seared the target, causing the impact area to melt perfectly in the center. This was how Fox relieved stress; training, focusing, and channeling his anger into something he was good at. The thoughts, however, would not cease.

_Every single time… I can't seem to stick with friends, everyone just leaves or wants something from me. I can't keep going like this. Sooner or later I'm going to snap, and not even Kursed will be able to stop me this time._

The todd couldn't help his thoughts now. He was caught in a vicious cycle. It always wound up this way when he started, and it was often difficult to stop.

_What does it take? Hell, I can't even make a relationship keep. Fara was too controlling; she wanted me to be her perfect little boy toy, and as beautiful as she is, I'm no one's toy._

_Miyu… She was great, helped me keep upbeat, trained with me, everything. But it wasn't meant to be. We just weren't what the other needed. Still glad she's my friend though._

_Katt…_

Fox took a pause with that one, thinking back to a certain pink feline and reflecting back on his relationship with her. Fox felt his anger calm mildly.

_She was the best out of the other two for sure. She had an ego, no doubts there, but she was loyal in a way that was endearing. We had our bad moments, we'd talk it out, cuddle, then go out somewhere and have a blast. Training, missions, it was great._

The anger calmed but was quickly replaced with a sense of regret.

I _wasn't what she needed. I guess I was too nice? She needed someone more like Falco to keep up with her, at least in the verbal sparring. I guess she needed a man who was more forceful._

That anger came back in a searing flash as he squeezed the trigger harder than he intended to. The shot went wide as he let out a bestial snarl.

_Fucking Lombardi. I give him a home, I give him a place to sleep, food. All of us, including Slippy, save the fucking system and what does he do?! He fucking bails on us, then he bails on me twice more! All because I refused to accept shady jobs! That ungrateful little shit stain of a bird. If I ever see him again, his beak is going to be coming out of his asshole!_

Despite this anger, he felt a little ray of joy poke through.

_At Least Katt and I separated amicably. That boat is long gone though, no point in focusing in on it._

That did not stop Fox as he squeezed the trigger once more. The image of a particular blue bird's face upon the metal target. Papetoonians did not take kindly to what they called betrayal. Picturing Falco's face on the target was wrong. Fox knew it, but he was absolutely livid in that moment. He didn't care. Everything he had built, all that he had worked for, his revenge, making Star Fox. No one cared; they only cared about his image, not him.

_Only ones that do even remotely care is the government. And that's only because the fuckers can't do anything by themselves!_

He had women chasing after him, people and companies who wanted his endorsement for all kinds of inane bullshit. He had entertained a few ladies once or twice, even gave a few endorsements to companies, but he quickly realized most only saw him as a status symbol, or a way to get more money rolling into their company accounts. He responded to this shallow behavior by shutting himself out from the romantic and corporate scenes, opting to stay away from Corneria for long periods of time. He devoted himself to nothing but work in keeping Lylat safe.

_Maybe I should go back to Fara. She'd welcome me again, and while it might not be a great relationship, it would be something. I wouldn't be alone, I'd financially secure for the rest of my life… And emotionally empty._

Fox let a frown come across his face as he placed the blaster on the firing line, no longer in the mood to focus.

_Those are my choices then? Be a lone protector of Lylat, or go back to a woman who only sees me as something she owns._

The isolated vulpine's thoughts kept spiraling, moving in various directions as his head hung low, palms resting on the firing lane countertop.

_How much of an idiot I was to become attached to Kursed. What was I thinking?! She's a bounty hunter for Krazoa sake! Nothing good could have come from that! Is this what desperation feels like?_

_And yet, I can't help but feel drawn to her. I thought we understood each other. Maybe I was wrong? Blinded by my own wants?_

Fox turned and fell back lightly against the booth while tapping his fingers on his knees, trying to figure out what went wrong.

_It just came out of nowhere, like I tripped some kind of defense mechanism. Maybe…. maybe that's what happened? I've been trying to be kind to her and endear myself to her, and she got suspicious._

Fox planted his face in his palms as he came to the only real conclusion that made sense.

_I made her defensive, she's utterly terrified of exposing herself in any emotional form. Fuck me, I was an idiot! I shouldn't have tried that little stunt. No wonder she got so pissed!_

His knees came up to his chest, tail lay across his feet while his head came to rest on his forearms as they rested atop the caps of his knees.

_It's all my fault, like always, Fara, Miyu, Katt, and now Kursed. All I do is make people leave._

_I'm such a moron._

**X-X-X-X**

Kursed hadn't left the infirmary just yet. For the first time in her life, Kursed had no idea how to handle the situation. She always solved her problems with violence or threats since she became a bounty hunter. This? This was out of her league. Slowly, the vixen paced about the room with her tail swaying in apt anger. Not at Fox, not at the Altas, but at herself. She had spat on Fox's kindness due to her own insecurities, her fear that someone would find their way past her emotional body armor and get inside. Her fear of getting hurt again.

Even with her diminished telepathy, she could pick up still on most people's emotions and intent. With Fox, however, she clouded her mind and judgment, and in one fell swoop, undid all the trust they had between each other.

_More like obliterated._

_Shut up! I can still salvage this… somehow._

_Really? Instead of listening to yourself, try reaching out, that is if you can do with those pills poisoning us._

_That's not poison… it keeps me from going crazy._

_It keeps you from facing reality you mean._

Kursed snarled at herself, wishing her conscience would silence itself once more while her tail thrashed about. She stood over the infirmary bed where she found herself after getting knocked out flat by that handsome orange vulpine. Twice now she had fallen at his mercy in an unconscious state in her life. Twice he could have put an end to her. Twice he tended to her. He even offered to cook her dinner though she had lost.

_How could I have been such a rotten cunt to him?_

_Very easily actually._

_Would you shut up and let me think!_

A deep sigh rose from her chest as her mind went quiet. She did, however, listen to one suggestion from her conscience and hear from the outside rather than within.

Kursed felt a sudden onset of mental agony slammed into her like a blaster bolt to the chest. Ordinarily, such emotions would be natural for her to maintain control of, but with her mental fortitude compromised by the medication she took, it was nowhere near as easy. However, when things did wear off, it often came back with a vengeance. Thus, she had to keep regular dosages up to prevent herself from reverting to a state of normalcy for a Cerinian.

And right now, she was being struck forcefully. There was only one other person on the station that it could be coming from. The weight of what felt like ten lifetimes hit her. Sorrow, self-loathing, anger.

But it wasn't directed outwards. It was all turned in, at himself.

_How?! How does he cope with this?! Gods, this hurts me just by even touching on it, and he lives with this every day?!_

Her telepathy had been picking up snippets of his thoughts for a while, and they soon became more coherent as he mentally berated himself. She listened while Fox reflected on his past failures as a man with various females. Normally she would have expected some macho bravado. Instead, she got a deep, contemplative man running the gambit of emotions, ranging from outright hurt that felt like a physical pain to her, all the way to a valley, mind-numbing depression. What had shocked her the most was the fact that Fox was blaming himself for her outburst. Taking responsibility and how horrible of a person he was to try and get her to open up to him like that. That he would try to be friends with her when she was suffering and had made it plain that she did not want it.

She willed her mind into a state of stability. How long she could maintain it, she did not know.

_He blames himself for me lashing out at him. The only thing he's guilty of is wanting to know me and understand me better as a person, and I spat in his eye. He extended an offer of friendship, and I threw it back at him. Should I go talk to him? Should I wait until…_

Her inner thoughts were interrupted when she heard about how desperate he was to become attached to her. At first, she felt angry that he would think so poorly of her; that she was some last-ditch effort for a friend. That anger gave way to a broad sense of regret. She had snapped at him while he had been nothing but genuine to her. Sure they had rough interactions at first; it was part of the job. She had started building on the foundations they had, but now, they had gone back to square one. All because of her.

Kursed felt herself grasping at straws, trying to find some way to salvage this whole mess. Try as she might, she could not come up with a solution. Her fists slammed on the bed nearby in boiling anger, despair taking its hold until she felt something slip into place like a key hitting that final tumbler. Her memories surged forth since, for a Cerinian, memories were often intense and almost like the real thing; a perfect and interactive recall.

She stood not on an abandoned mining station, but in the garden of her family's ancestral home. A beautiful house atop a hill that overlooked the verdant blue-green fields below. The wind blew luxuriously through her fur. Her short cerulean locks elegantly flowed with the wind. The scents of flowers and fresh mountain air filled her nose. She shivered at the recollection as her eyes began to wander about her surroundings. Those turquoise eyes came to rest upon her mother. Kursed felt her heart stop. There, the kindly matron of a vixen sipped some tea from a finely made cup. Thick curves that she herself hoped to inherit if family genetics were any indicator. Gorgeous sapphire fur covered her entire body. It was as if she looking at an older version of herself. The vixen covered in a flowing white and blue robe meant for women who were priestesses to the gods.

Kursed remembered this day well, as it was a week before her life went to hell. Aquamarine eyes gazed upon her mother and gently stepped forward. Kursed had not realized it, but she had a wounded baby bird in her palm. It chirped helplessly as she approached, holding it with such gentle care. Slowly, the older vixen turned to her daughter and smiled. Standing up, she knelt before her child and spoke with those softest and sweetest of voices. A voice Kursed often listened to in her dreams for when she was in dire need of comfort, often bringing her to tears and seeing her through her worst moments.

"What have you got there, sweetheart?" The matronly vixen inquired.

"Momma, the bird's wing is broken. Can we fix it?" Krystal spoke, she was only sixteen at this time. The vixen whom she called mother gave her a winning smile that spoke volumes about her confidence.

"We are gifted with strong powers of empathy and kindness, Krystal. Here, let me show you how, and we'll help our little bird together."

The older vulpines palms emerged from her robes, the tattoos in the shape of their tribe's namesake resting on the tops as she placed them ever so gingerly over the small avian while it chirped away. Scared and in pain, both vulpines could sense it within their minds. Krystal watched on in awe as her mother soothed the small creature. Its thoughts slowly collected and went from scattered and panicked, to calm with a dash of curiosity.

Once again her mother spoke. "Focus little one, work in concert with me and this will go easier than if it were just me alone," her mother mused. "Just like I taught you now," she said sweetly, encouraging the young Krystal.

Both vixens set to work, offering prayers to the gods as their palms emitted a soft embracing turquoise glow, the very same light both vulpines shared in their eye color. The bone of the little bird's wing knit back into place and all the pain they felt from their small friend vanished in an instant.

Her mother withdrew from the tender hold first, and Krystal opened her palms up. The tiny avian chirping happily before it took the skies.

The older of the pair turned to her daughter after watching the bird take flight and fade off into the horizon, presumably back to the nest it had come from.

"Remember my daughter, there is more to being a warrior than killing. You have such kindness in your heart Krystal, such capacity for love and mercy. Never lose sight of that. Hold onto it with tooth and claw. If you can do that, I have no doubt you will be one of the most powerful priestesses our family has ever produced." The voice was so full of love and warmth, so sure of Krystal's future.

For the moment, Kursed fell backward, shying away as Krystal emerged forth, feeling melancholic at the memory. She had a bright future, and it was stolen by someone's selfish desires and pride.

Her mind snapped back to reality, not even getting to respond to her mother. The cerulean vixen shook her head as she held the right side with her palm coupled with a quiet sigh. With gentle steps, she made her way to the mirror, checking herself over to make sure things were not out of place. The vixen gasped at what she saw, eyes trailing over form as though seeing herself honestly for the first time. While her thick bushy tail swayed side to side, new scars that were never there before. A frown crossed her features as she took a deep breath, speaking softly to only herself.

"It has been a rough ride hasn't it?" Her eyes were no longer the jaded and dull turquoise of Kursed, but the bright, vivacious ones of Krystal. Full of care, warmth and bountiful energy.

That thick fluff of a tail swayed before a sharp intake of air passed through teeth that ground together. Immense discomfort was plain upon her face while her ears swiveled as her mind perceived the thoughts of Fox McCloud. The vixen could sense his very emotions, Krystal had emerged fully, and she knew what needed to be done, something that Kursed could not do. Without a moment of hesitation, she made her way to the source of woe. The vixen wandered the halls of the mining station until Krystal found herself before the door that led into the armory. With a deep breath of trepidation, she opened it. Krystal knew full well that this would be a trial for herself and Fox. A mistake had been made, and she aimed to correct it.

With a wave of her palm, the door slid open as the motion sensor picked up the movement, stepping through with a gentle pace. Her mind's eye followed the trail of mental pain. It was like an inky darkness just on the peripherals of her vision. Her telepathy was able to pick it up quickly. She found her quarry shortly after that, his knees tucked against his chest, forehead resting against his arms while he sat with his back against one of the firing lanes. Her right paw balled into a fist and lay at rest over her heart. This was it, sink or swim. Pain hung off him like a dark miasma, radiating out in all directions as his self-loathing was in full swing.

Krystal summoned all the courage she had, praying to the gods that this would all end well. Her voice uttered into the room, filling it with the softest of dulcet tones. The notes of her voice did not carry the harshness of Kursed. Instead, it was unsure, frightened but full of concern. "Fox?"

The orange vulpine jumped, startled out of his melancholic state as he looked up at her. Tired, sorrowful eyes gazed into her bright aquamarine hues.

"K-Kursed?" He was surprised, shocked to see her here. Even more so of what her body language entailed. He had apparently been expecting anger and fury. Instead, he got concern and fear.

Krystal blinked at the name, it sounded alien and yet simultaneously familiar.

_Right, that's what I chose to call myself after leaving Cerinia._

She would play along for now, who knew how long this state would last and she had to make every minute of it count.

"Yes Fox, it's me," her voice was serene, tender, Fox's ears swiveled forward to better hear. It almost made her giggle at how cute it was. "Do you mind if I sit with you?"

Fox was flabbergasted, to say the least, his mind reeling that she would want to talk to scum like him.

Krystal quickly cut him off. "Hush Fox, you're not scum. You were honest, and I lashed out in fear."

She watched him as a look of confusion crossed his face, he was confused about how level-headed she was. It was her demeanor, the very way she carried herself. It was as if he was dealing with another person entirely.

The orange vulpine could only nod to her, to which Krystal made her way over and gently sat down next to Fox, facing towards him with legs tucked under her rump. She sat eye level with him, which allowed her to gaze into his eyes with a remorseful smile. "Don't you dare apologize Fox. None of this was your fault."

Fox blinked. He had been a nanosecond away from speaking, only for her to catch him and place a single soft paw pad upon his lips. He blinked, staring at the vixen before him, dumbfounded.

"Sorry to use my telepathy like this. I can't really explain things right now. But," Krystal took a deep breath and reached over, taking Fox's right paw in her own and squeezing it with compassion. The vixen then brought it forth to her chest and lay it flat against where her heart was. "I'm sorry for what I said to you back there Fox, I truly, deeply am." His reaction was one of shock. Tingles rushed up his arm and spine as he felt her soft fur beneath his palm and the soft, supple skin. A million questions plagued his mind before his natural reaction came forth, wanting to apologize, only to be silenced once more with that same finger pad.

"No Fox, I won't let you apologize. We've had a rough time of it, both in the past and in recent days. Please, let's just forget what was said and move forward." Her eyes pleaded with him, there was a sense of urgency that came from her, he noted the remorse that filled those beautiful eyes.

Fox could only give into those rich hues, smiling dumbly before he spoke. "Okay Kursed, but, I just don't understand. What's going on here? Why the sudden change of heart?"

Krystal smiled sadly. "It's a Cerinian thing, Fox. One I hope you will find out more about in the future."

Fox tilted his head in that typical canine way before nodding. "Alright."

The vixen could only beam with joy as she leaned over and wrapped her arms around him. She poured everything she had into that hug, petting over the back of his head warmly, her head resting underneath his and nuzzling sweetly along his neck. It was a canine thing, one that often confused many other species.

McCloud felt floored by the hug and sudden nuzzling. He desired to return the affections but was apprehensive to do so. However, he did let his palms rest on her back to embrace her. A sudden rush of emotions hit him, but they were wonderful emotions. He felt revitalized and energized as if someone had hit the restart button on his brain, and he had received the best night's sleep in but a scant few seconds. He felt his troubles and worries melt away, every single doubt and fear he had vanished in an instant. For those few minutes, the pair were entirely at peace and normal. It was a haven for the both of them.

Regrettably, it had to end. Krystal pulled away, a small, sad smile on her lips. She looked forward to being close to him like that again, but she felt Kursed reasserting herself. The Cerinian vixen hoped what she had achieved here would help Kursed and Fox together, and by extension, herself.

She spoke to him with warmth in her voice and reassurances. "Things might get weird from here on out, Fox. I understand what's going on, what you feel in regards to everything. Just trust me, I promise things will work out. All I ask is that you be patient."

The todd only nodded in curiosity, wondering just what the hell was going on. The only answer he would probably get is-

"It's a Cerinian thing, yes Fox." She giggles, though it carried an underlying tone of sadness.

Krystal wished she didn't have to go so soon. The mind wasn't meant for this sort of thing. It would be hard to explain, attempting it with anyone that wasn't Cerinian would take quite some time. Time she did not have. She hoped that Fox would understand eventually. It was time for things to resume as they were, Krystal receded back into herself, the armor affixing itself once again as Kursed returned, those eyes dulled as she took on that ferocious demeanor.

Fox buried a single thought in his mind. _What the hell was that?_

He watched on as Kursed shook her head and held a palm to her face. Blinking once, then twice as she seemed to be settling in. A deep breath came forth before her eyes met his. A mixture of fear, apprehension with a tinge of anger tucked away. There was something more. Both of them could feel it, a change in the air between them. The two vulpines sat quietly for a moment before Fox managed to finally find his voice.

"Kursed? What the hell just happened?" His eyes locked on hers, the two staring at one another before she just shook her head.

"It's… complicated Fox. Let's just leave it at that for now." Her voice carried with it great weight. Exhaustion filled her words.

Not wanting to push things, he nodded in understanding before speaking, "Well.. let's go get some re-"

"No," she said sternly, she moved and sat beside Fox. Kursed's thick tail came around to rest on her lap. The vixen took a steadying breath before Kursed lifted her eyelids to lock eyes with him.

"I think it's time we talked Fox. No more delaying, no more hiding." Kursed gazed upon him, waiting for his answer.

"Alright Kursed, what do you want to talk about?" He wasn't stupid, she knew that, and considering the circumstances, she could understand his caution.

She drummed her fingers on her knees. She was honestly lost, not having a clue where to start. Kursed felt herself beginning to falter and stumble before she nearly jumped out of her fur. Fox laid his right paw on her left in a comforting way, a look of concern and understanding written across his face.

Kursed could only give a faint smile; the simplest of contact. He didn't quite understand what physical contact could do for Cerinians. She could read thoughts, but physical contact made it far more intimate. It allowed more understanding to flow, as his concern for her was warming her usually cold heart. His kindness had returned, and it put her at ease.

To Fox's surprise, she turned her palm over and intertwined their fingers together. With pads touching, it was something most folks took for granted. Such a simple moment had a powerful effect on the pair, for both vulpine, it was the start of a stable foundation for them.

A deep sigh came from her chest, one that conveyed her calm. "Thank you, Fox. You were right, I've been having second thoughts about turning you in," she referred back to when she told Fox they were heading to a safe house just two days prior. "You don't deserve that fate. Not for everything you have done. I certainly don't deserve the money for such a thing either." She squeezed Fox's paw tightly with her own, opening up was no easy feat for some people, admitting to mistakes, even if just moments ago she had been an open book. She was back to being herself for lack of a better term.

Fox merely listened and watched her body language. To say she was tense would be a vast understatement. She held her tail in place while the tip flicked agitatedly. Her ears were flat against her head, while her nose and whiskers twitched in an admittedly adorable way. This was quite possibly the worst part for people like themselves. It was learning to open up, to let people see your vulnerabilities. It was something he had long since struggled with. Kurseds grip tightened like steel around his paw, that hold was like a lifeline to her. The mere act keeping them both grounded, helping them prevent from reverting back to their default states.

There was a long, pregnant pause as Kursed turned her head away and collected herself, her teeth bared as she knew the next words she uttered would have only one of two results. She wished she could delay this conversation just to prepare herself, but knew it needed to happen.

"I… I need your help, Fox." She felt so ashamed and weak that she had to admit she needed someone else's help, and that she was not strong enough to carry her mission out on her own. She expected derision, some sort of taunt. Instead, what she got was a comforting squeeze of her paw. Her head turned to face him once again. His gaze conveyed nothing but honest understanding. That gaze alone made her heart pound in her chest, and when he spoke, the tone of his voice made her want to hug him with all her might.

"You have no idea how long it took me to speak words like that to someone else. To admit when I wasn't able to do something on my own. It feels awful, but then, you realize if you have people helping you, things become easier. Having someone at your side or back... it makes life easier to deal with."

He was so soft-spoken at that very moment; It took her back to the moment they had in her quarters when she first caught him.

"Remember Sauria?" His question interrupted her thoughts.

Kursed blinked at such a simple statement before she let slip a smile across her lips. The night they spent together under the stars. She had been wounded during one of the many chases with Fox. Sharpclaw had gotten the drop on them both, and it nearly cost them their lives. She traced her free paw over the elongated scar across her abdomen, a blemish on her otherwise immaculate coat. She remembered the bite of the vicious sword that had cut her open, how he had fretted over her and taken care of her in that state of weakness. The memory of how much blood she lost and how brave and dashing he looked while fending off the Sharpclaw with a broken arm. All to protect her and himself. It had cemented the good notions between them and had likely led up to what was happening here.

It had been one of the more entertaining aspects of her job. Memories flooded her mind, watching Fox struggle through various challenges, having stolen her staff after she had it taken from her by the Sharpclaws. It was where she had heard the Krazoa speak of his pure heart, something she did not have. It boggled her mind, how someone like him who had a high body count could be among the pure of heart. He had proven it though. Against all the odds, she remembered how determined he was to save the planet despite seven shades of shit always going wrong at every turn. Not to mention that annoying little dinosaur. But he was annoying like a little brother would be.

She descended into small bouts of uncharacteristic giggles. The male of the pair only grinning as she laughed. "Yes… yes, I do Fox. Probably one of the more memorable moments in our little quarrel." She sighed, relaxing as she looked down at their paws.

Fox saw where her eyes trailed and began to pull back, only for her to cement that hold and drag it against her chest like she did before. "Do you know what this gesture means to a Cerinian, Fox?"

Of course, he didn't, but he had to ask. "No, what does it mean?"

"It's a gesture of trust. We only ever use it with people who are close to us, and we have either wronged them, or there is deep care." She sounded like a fool, blood rushed across her cheeks, but still retaining eye contact.

"I see… I was wondering why you would... Uhm..." He was blushing. Honest to gods blushing! The man who stared death in the face more times than she could count. She couldn't help but let loose that series of giggles once again.

 _Gods_ does _it feel good to laugh again like this._

"Before we continue this, Fox, I need one thing clear between us. I understand you like me, and I appreciate it… I'm not saying no. The feeling is… I don't think mutual is the right term at this moment. Please, I just need time. I think you understand better than anyone ever could what I mean." She hoped that it was at least reasonable and that it wouldn't hurt him. She was handling this well, showing her true upbringing as a warrior priestess of her people. Even headed, caring, and sweet.

To her inner glee, she saw a little flash of joy in his eyes. Those bright green eyes didn't seem so dim anymore. She had given him a spark of hope. That there might be more between them than just professional respect.

"Sure, Kursed, take your time. I'm not going anywhere. You said you needed my help, and I'll be more than happy to assist." He nodded emphatically.

"Is that because you want me as your girlfriend?" she chided teasingly.

Fox sputtered for a moment before catching on that she was ribbing him. "You're an ass," he said, a wide mirthful smirk upon his face. "No, even if that weren't a possibility. I would still help you. It's who I am."

Kursed let out a soft sigh of relief. For once, things seemed to be looking up. "How about we get some food out of the kitchen. Planning on a full stomach is far better than… well, half-naked and surrounded by enough weapons to level Venom."

Fox only laughed at that remark. "I did that with four Arwings and a battlecruiser piloted by a robot."

Both vulpines stood as their fingers unlaced from one another. The pair smiled as they made their way to the door.

"So what are you thinking for-" All at once Fox's instincts screamed at him that something was wrong. His eyes turned to the door as it opened and caught the gleam of a gun barrel on the other side.

In a flash Kursed found herself barreling through the air and out of the doorway. Her eyes looked up from her landing space before her ears perked up and one name crossed his lips in abject disbelief.

"Falco?!"


	5. Chapter 5

Falco Lombardi was many things, reckless, egotistical, and a bit of a ladies man. Or so he told himself on that last one. However, in his present situation, Lombardi was staring up at a very livid Fox McCloud, his gun had sailed across the room and clattered away. Fox had him by his ascot with fist raised up high. Both sat still, Falco expected Katt to intervene, but oddly, Pink was silent. The blue bird found his words and gave Fox a cocky grin.

"Hey, Foxy! Came to rescu-"

"Shut up." Spat the vulpine atop him, his voice a low, angry snarl.

"I have one question for you Falco, and it needs an answer." Foxs' voice was deathly serious, his eyes were narrowed, sharp intimidating teeth bared.

"Do you remember the name of that move, when we played Mega Smash? Y'know, the one you always spammed like a cheap little prick?"

Falco was perplexed, what did that have to do with anything?

"Answer!"

Fox shook the bird and nearly beat his head against the floor plating.

"F-"

"Falcon, punch!"

Fox's fist was a blur as it came down and socked him clean across his beak, in one smooth motion, the avians head whipped around while his body went limp from a single knockout punch.

Watching the avian go comatose was satisfactory for Fox, he stood up with a sigh and cracked his knuckles. "Krazoa, that was satisfying." He mutters before his eyes looked over to Kursed who was stood and dusted herself off.

"Mind explaining the hells just happened?" The blue vixen said dusting herself off.

"Dipshit over here said something about a rescue." he turned the door with narrowed eyes. "Katt, I know if he's here, you're here too. Falco wouldn't have a heart or brain cell in his body to try something like this, not for me anyway, given history."

Said feline poked her head around the corner, wearing an unbuttoned flight jacket that kept a belly shirt just beneath. She wore a pair of simple jeans and boots that were so common for flight. "Hey Foxy, sorry about Falco-"

"Katt: explanations, now, please," Fox spoke with exasperation in his voice, quite happy to see her Pinkness once again, but it could have been under better circumstances. The aggravation was clearly on display if his voice didn't give it away, then his body certainly did, what with how his tail was bristled and waving about agitatedly.

Kursed didn't know what to make of all this, the fact Fox had pushed her out of the way, disarmed the blue avian known as Falco, which she knew to be an old member of Foxs' team; and with this Katt Monroe character here… things were getting complicated. Kursed had heard the name tossed around a few circles, an exceptionally gifted electronic warfare and information specialist, though that hardly disqualified her from fieldwork. Her ears were up in curiosity, waiting to hear this explanation for herself, she was highly suspicious that Fox would have one former compatriot and another ally pop in like this, yet his reactions and emotions told a different story.

"Well Foxy, I came to rescue you and guilt tripped Falco into coming along as well, I wasn't going to let Blue here make off with you and hand you over to Oikonny."

Kursed's ears went flat, and her teeth were bared, tail puffed out in hostility. "Blue?! Only one person has called me that the entire time I've been in Lylat." She growled, eyeing the blaster that Falco had lost earlier.

"Yea, it's nice to meet finally face to face," Katt said with a little cocky smirk at the corner of her snout.

"Uhh, not to interrupt, but, you two know each other?" Fox said, seeing the hostility in Kursed's eyes, he made his way to her side and placed a placating paw on her shoulder, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

Her head whipped to gaze into those eyes, full of fury and anger that made him flinch slightly. That reaction made Kursed's heart wrench, if there was one person she didn't want scared of her, it was Fox. She slowly began to calm down and looked to the orange vulpine apologetically. Kursed's tail coiled about her own left leg nervously.

The interaction the two had did not go unnoticed by Katt, but she let it be for now. "I've been her handler since she first arrived on the scene for your bounty Fox."

Now it was the todds turn to react. "What?! You've been helping her?!" Fox rarely raised his voice, and when it did, it sounded almost like a drill instructor from the academy.

"Yes and no." Katt began. "I've given her information, tools, and some weaponry, but mostly places to hide and minor misdirections to find you. Ones that seemed like the real deal. She did wind up running into you, so it all appeared on the level."

"I could say you sold me out, but then again, I know you wouldn't do that. There's more here than you're letting on, especially since you brought bird brain along." He muttered. "So, what's your angle?"

"Why Fox, you did learn quite a bit when we were together, didn't you?" She beamed with a smile, tail swaying about happily. "Though I suggest before we continue, you two go change and wash up. I'll take Birdie here to the kitchen and put a nice cup of coffee on for us, and then we can get to business."

"You're not mad at me for slugging Falco?" Fox tilted his head curiously.

"To be honest, he had it coming Fox, had you gone for more than one punch, then I would have gotten involved."

Fox shook his head, Katt was an enigma in and of herself. Though he had to agree, Falco did have it coming.

When Katt departed, pulling a knocked out Falco along behind her out the armory; Kursed turned to face Fox. "The bloody hell just happened?"

Fox took a sigh. "That's about what I ask every time Katt gets me in on one of her schemes. It's a tangled web, and Katt is at the heart of it."

"Can she be trusted?"

"By us? Oh yes, Katt an I are close friends." Fox stated quietly. "Apparently she's built a rapport with you, and she likes you, for whatever reason."

That made Kursed blink. "What?"

"Katt works in mysterious ways, she didn't insult you or throw anything barbs at you in the first five minutes; that's usually a good indicator she's at the very least open to the idea of being friends. When she starts wanting to be friends then she'll mess with you. Anyway, we should probably go get changed and washed up like she suggested."

In a rare moment, Kursed got an idea, a little smirk played at the corners of her mouth, she had no idea where it came from, or why, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up. Her voice when she spoke next, was uncharacteristically sultry, playful. "We, Fox?" She crooned to him "I didn't know you wanted me that bad, I suppose you could wash my back."

Fox halted in his tracks while his ears turned a burning red, that proud thick tail stiffened in response as his head slowly rotated with wide eyes, that sinfully decadent voice graced his ears like silk. Those bright emerald eyes locked with a triumphant Kursed as she walked by without a word, lifting Fox's chin up from the floor with a single index pad. His gaze followed the vixen who then gave an exaggerated wiggle of her hips. Tantalizing fox with that delightful view that made his heart race, and just as she got to the door, her head turned to gaze at him out of the corner of her eye and sent a little flirtatious wink before heading out.

She was down the hall before hearing his reaction in her mind.

_That woman is going to be the death of me. I just know it._

It made her smile wide, the moment made her feel a bit of feminine pride, to see someone stare at her with such want and hunger in his eyes, and yet be so damn cute all at once. She entered her room and locked the door behind her, it seemed a bit much to come out all at once. As quickly as the moment came, it went, Kursed resumed her normally stern demeanor and shook her head. "I really should not have done that… but gods, the way he looked at me." A shiver ran up her spine while walking into her bedroom. "It was so… pure, not laced with disgusting lustful desires, he was looking at me, not through me."

_I'm not sure how I feel about this change. It's so strange, and yet, I'm growing to like it._

She shook her head once again and ran a paw over her face with a growl. "No, I can't let emotions get in the way. Too much at stake." Her eyes went wide as sudden fear gripped her. "Oh gods, what if he actually follows?"

Her telepathy though limited, could still dig out surface thoughts. She felt no presence of Fox nearing her room, in fact, he seemed to be on the other side of the base in his quarters. Katt was doing as she said, trying to wake up Falco and brewing them coffee.

"Okay… crisis averted. No more of that."

_And you, stop toying with me._

_Why? Everyone got some joy out of it._

She really couldn't argue with that, everything was becoming different so quickly, old emotions long dead and buried were rearing their heads. Especially when she was around Fox, the events of earlier and in the armory. She took a deep, shaky breath. "Maybe… maybe there is something there to be pursued, but the question is, am I good enough for him?"

Afterall, she was one of the most notorious hunters in the known systems, no job was too hard for her, she showed little to no mercy to her prey, and those who got in their way generally did not fare much better. Sure, she was the daughter of a once prominent clan, but she might as well be casteless, she had no claim to her homeland, had no titles, no rights in the Cerinian assembly. She was a nobody.

She moved into the shower and let the incredible hot water rush over her, sighing quietly as her fur became matted.

Fox on the other hand… he's basically military royalty here, a hero, whether he likes it or not. People look up to him, they listen to him, and me? I'm just some trashy little scarred up exile from an alien world no one cares about, hands bathed in blood. They would take one look at me and see nothing more than a hired gun latching onto their hero. They'd throw rotten vegetables at me sooner than accept me as part of his life.

Slowly she shampooed herself, lathering the fur as her palms wandered over her toned body. "Besides, he's only flirting for fun, it's not like Fox would ever be interested in me."

_That's bullshit, and you know it, stop doubting yourself. He opened up to me, told me something, not even Fox's adoptive father knows. If he wasn't interested, pretty sure he would have made it known by now. He's not exactly subtle._

"So then, what do I do?" She mutters. Kursed was entirely out of her element, now that she was thinking on it, she had been sixteen when her life went to hell, and for 3 long years, she went around the systems doing jobs. From streetside assassinations, to sabotage and killing HVTs. Sure, plenty of guys had hit on her, but most of them wound up with broken bones or teeth. Romance was utterly alien to her, let alone holding hands at least in a romantic situation. Not to mention the idea of kissing. She frowned and promptly shut her conscience away. As much as a part of her yearned for male companionship, it was not the time.

**(A/N: HVT means high-value target.)**

Kursed finished rinsing herself off and stepped out of the shower, drying herself in the process. The cobalt vixen went on over to her dresser and withdrew a simple pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She wouldn't need shoes since they weren't really going anywhere. Within a few minutes, she was back in the kitchen along with Katt and a noticeably seething Falco with a cup of coffee before him. Katt sat to the side of him at the table, the only was missing was Fox.

Falco's feathers were quite ruffled, he gazed across at Kursed, trying to appear threatening, even his crest was raising up. Kursed took one long look at Falco right in the eyes and narrowed them. She made quite clear to the avian that her tolerance for bullshit was nonexistent. The bird's mind had been rambling on with insults, she did not waste words on him, however, instead the vixen let her body language and expression assert her dominance. She even went so far as to reinforce her presence with her limited psionic power.

Falco became defensive, a sign that she had won their little stare down, his posture changed and he fidgeted nervously. His beak clacked in anger before looking over to Katt.

"Why aren't we kicking her ass? I thought we were here to rescue that orange moron from her!"

"Falco, sweety, I know you tend to not think farther than the end of your beak, creator knows I love you to bits, but that was part of the plan, not the entire plan. I didn't realize Fox and Kursed here might come to some sort of understanding. Not to mention I think she could easily take us both on and win."

"A very sound observation," Kursed spoke in a rather chilling tone of voice. One that made even the hairs on the back of Katt's neck rise.

Kursed knew the pink feline had planned all of it now, getting her in proximity to Fox, it was just a matter of time. "So, why get me near him, considering what I was hired to do?" she growls, her earlier notions quickly dashed and washed away. She was protective now, of herself more than anything., if there was one thing Kursed did not like, it was being manipulated.

"As soon as Fox gets here, I'll explain; I don't want to repeat myself a second time."

Kursed huffed as she leaned back in her chair only to get up and grab a cup of hot coffee. She stood near the pot, sipping it from her mug, staring at the two, sizing them up.

Fox arrived minutes later, looking quite informal and relaxed. Though that changed the moment he walked into the room, Falco was on edge as much as Kursed was, Katt was doing an excellent job of hiding her frayed nerves. Even though they were pretty accepting, being in a room with a telepath could undoubtedly put people on edge. Fox was used to it, however, so he was far more at ease about the strange bounty hunter. He wore a pair of pants and a simple shirt, nothing to really write home about. Fox sat down and gestured for Kursed to follow suit next to him, sensing a bit of unease and hostility from her, the only look he got back was the one he was so familiar with. She was guarded, defensive, the flirtatious vixen was long gone by this point. The male was a bit saddened by that, hoping they had made some progress towards her opening up.

_Still got a long way to go._

Kursed was to her business as usual voice. Arms crossed, "Alright, the orange wonder is here. Now, out with it."

"Straight to business as always Kursed, that's what I like about you most. That and your fashion sense. Anywho~, as for why I've made this convoluted little plan, it was mostly to foil the actual plans of the one who wants our Foxy boy dead and buried."

"Actual plans? What, you mean Oikonny?" Fox said with a mirthful raised eyebrow.

Katt just laughed condescendingly at the mention of that name. "No, no, do you think he would honestly be smart enough to hire Kursed, one of the arguably best bounty hunters around, and not be stupid enough to try and micromanage her every move?"

When Katt made a point, she made a good one. "Fair enough."

Kursed growled. "The point, and when do we get to it?"

"Fox, your girlfriend is seriously lacking in manners."

Fox saw that reaction coming before anyone else, he felt it too. Before Kursed could lunge across the way and throttle Katt, Fox stood and made his way over to the coffee maker, feeling Kursed seethe with anger at that implication."Hey, she's just messing with you Kursed, it's how she shows affection. Just like blue bird over there when he's not bailing on you."

"Hey!"

 **"Boys,** " Katt spoke with an exasperated sigh. "You two can have it out later, right now, Lylat is in danger, and I haven't a damn clue who it is."

That made Fox suddenly turn from Kursed and looked at Katt with a small amount of fear. "What?"

Kursed caught on fast, kinesics was apart of hunting, and Foxs' tone caught her attention. "Fox?"

"I've never heard of you not knowing something, Katt." It answered Kursed well enough as to why Fox was suddenly concerned.

"Yes, well… even I have my moments." She muttered angrily.

Fox turned his head back to the blue vixen. "Katt is one of the best in the system at what she does, you've seen her work first hand. Weapons, information, safe houses. She can get it all for the right price."

"Oooh, Foxy, butter me up some more why don't you?" Katt spoke with her usual flirtatious antics.

"Hey!" The avian sitting next to him sat up with an aggressive curve to his beak.

"Oh birdie, calm down, you know you're the only one for me, even if you are a bit slow on the uptake at times." The bird chuffed with wings crossed, gazing at her Pinkness as she placed a paw on the side of his face and kissed his cheek.

"Back to the business at hand."

Kursed was slightly agitated, between the egotistical bird and cat, they were giving her a splitting headache. Compared to Fox's calm composure and rational mind. His was a quiet pool compared to the raging storm of the two combative personas at the table.

"Oikonny is a pawn, that much I do know. Who's moving him, I haven't the damndest clue, furthermore, what I do know, is that it involves the two of you." She gestured to the two vulpines across from her.

She had both their attention now, even Falco was listening carefully. "Why, how, I don't know, that's information only Oikonny has, and sadly, his computers are a bit out of my reach at the moment."

"So much for being a super hacker." Kursed groused.

"Even with my skills, I need a connection Blue, and his servers are closed, without a direct physical connection or getting into that network. I can't do anything, but I am getting ahead of myself right now. Fox, I think you and Kursed need to officially team up, build some publicity with her and show Lylat that she can be trusted around you."

Fox sat back down next to Kursed. "Oddly enough we were about to sit down and work out some details before you two came barging in here."

Katt blinked those sparkling blue eyes with curiosity, looking back and forth between the two. "Interesting, the Hero of Lylat and Dagger of Cerinia."

"Dagger of Cerinia?" Fox asked quietly.

Kursed grunted, "It's what people started calling me, my first kills were with an old Cerinian dagger, nothing compared to my battlestaff, but it was good and subtle."

"A bit edgy." Fox teased her as she gave him a death glare.

He shoved her on the arm with a grin. "Loosen up Kursed, if we're going to be working together, we can't be uptight all time."

Katt smirked "Oh certainly, you should loosen up. I'm sure Foxy boy could most definitely help in that department." She purred sultrily. "His back rubs are divine, and that lovely can-"

"Annnnnd that's enough of that!" Fox abruptly cut Katt off before Falco blew a gasket and Kursed decided to chokeslam the woman, his eyes rose to the ceiling in annoyance.

Katt bobbed the upper half of her eyes with a grin at Kursed, while Fox was looking at the ceiling, she made a slightly exaggerated length of her two hands in front of the vixen. Kursed knew precisely what she was saying and mouthed _Bollocks!_

Katt gave her a wink while Falco was off to the side looking like he was about to start molting any second.

"So, dare I ask how you arranged all this Katt?" Fox said with his eyes returning to the table.

"It was actually surprisingly easy! Oikonny's guards aren't as loyal as he thinks they are, a bit of greased palms here and there, some cold hard Cornerian credits. Generally gets the ball moving on Venom, considering their currency is worth peanuts."

"I paid someone rather handsomely to recommend Kursed, got her an audience with the dumbass and even verified her with Star Wolf. As far as Oikonny is concerned, Kursed is his hired gun."

Fox turned to look at the cobalt vixen curiously, his tail flicking quietly. "I had a feeling it was him you were taking me to."

"Just a job Fox was nothing against you."

"Not blaming you at all. I know how it goes, and besides; we sorted that all out, remember?"

Kursed nodded her head and let her eyes close in evident frustration. "You're right, I'm sorry, just, a lot to take in and the fact my contact has been pulling my strings this whole time, it's pissing me off. Combined with a headache being caused by these two." She grumbled angrily.

"What proof do you have of this shadowy event that involves myself and Fox anyways?"

Katt gave a sheepish smile. "Well… it's not much to go on, but I keep seeing your two names pop up on a lot of Venomian traffic, if it turns out to be nothing, Kursed gets paid, and we get security in the knowledge that it's just his usual antics."

"And if it's not?" Fox said quietly.

"Then there's a great threat looming on the horizon."

Kursed was pacing now, impatient.

Katt took the opportunity to at least try to smooth things over during the lull in the conversation. "For what it's worth, I am sorry for manipulating you like I have, but for the safety of Lylat and Fox, I had to do so."

"Hacker with a heart of gold," Kursed muttered softly.

"That's Katt," Falco said proudly, cracking a smirk.

"So, like you said earlier, you want us to start taking jobs together Katt?" Of course, he meant himself and Kursed.

"Precisely, get a rapport built up, show the public you're back in the saddle Fox, and with the hot blue alien vixen at your side."

"That's a flaw in your plan, you and I both know Cornerians will never accept a Cerinian, they're positively terrified of them."

Kursed nodded in agreement. "Yes, for all your openness in society, you Cornerians are rather touchy when it comes to Telepathy, not to mention how martial our culture is. You lot act rather snobbish and look down your noses at us."

"First off, I'm from Macbeth, Falco is from Eledard, and Foxy here is Papetoonian born." Cat shot back. "Believe us, each of our homeworlds has a beef with Corneria, and none of us particularly likes where the government has gone since the end of the Lylat Wars." Explained her Pinkness.

Kursed flinched, she hadn't known that. She had just done the very thing she accused them of.

"It's fine Kursed," Katt spoke, sensing her mild distress. "Just like we don't know much about Cerinians, fairly certain your people don't know much about our political chicanery that goes on here."

The vixen nodded to Katt in some manner of gratitude. Her tail batting side to side.

"More than likely, but let's not get into politics. So, you want me and Kursed to get some publicity going, that's going to be a problem. Wouldn't it make more sense for Kursed to fake deliver me to Oikonny, that gets us at that dumb ape, then we get his computers and promptly bugger off as Kursed would put it."

"That is actually a good plan Fox, I hadn't thought of that," Katt said with a smirk. Fox couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or serious, so he let it slide.

"That's a good first step actually, gets Oikonny off your ass and lets us figure out who the mastermind behind all this is."

"Only one problem," Kursed spoke.

Everyone turned their eyes to her. "The drop is with Star Wolf."

"Ooooof fucking course it was." Fox groaned.

"Actually, we can work this to our advantage!" Katt said with glee.

"Eh? How?!"

"Pay them of course. Wolf is an opportunist, he'll go with who's paying more, Wolf has no loyalty to Andrew, bribe em with enough money, he'll help, course, just be careful, don't want to get stabbed in the back."

"Dunno, Foxy might like that from Wolf, given all the rumors."

This time it was Katt who facepalmed, she didn't need to be a telepath to sense the end times radiating off of Fox. Before that could explode, however, it was to her shock that Kursed intervened and placed a paw on Fox's shoulder. She leaned over and whispered something to him, and the male calmed down almost immediately. Katt blinked, never had she seen Fox respond to someone so quickly, even herself.

Maybe these two are better for each other than I actually thought. I mean, I was just making jokes. I wasn't serious about them being together. I'll just have to wait and see.

Now that moment had passed, Katt reached over and grabbed Falco by the scarf. "Falco, honey, do you want to get paid?"

The bird nodded. "Yea, course I do."

"Then stop opening your beak and trying to piss off Fox, you can try with Kursed all you want, I'd pay to see that fight."

Falco glared at Katt, tempted to open his beak once more and then sighed. "You always take Fox's side in these damn fights."

"Not in front of them." She hissed and stared at Falco in legitimate anger. Her tail thrashed while those baby blue eyes narrowed "You want to talk, we do it in private." It was a rare moment for Fox to see Katt like that, and he knew Pink was angry, he'd been with her enough to read that body language.

Kursed watched on in curiosity, the avian and feline were almost identical regarding personalities, but she was far more protective of Fox than Falco. It wasn't romantic from what she could tell, but the two were very close.

The tension in the air broke as Falco got up and left without a word. Katt sighed and looked at the two vulpines by the coffee maker. "I'm sorry about that, he an I…"

"Tend to fight." Kursed finished, tapping her temple. "Yet somehow it works for you two." She said with a chuckle.

"Somehow." she finished and drank her coffee. "Anyway, You'll make contact with Star Wolf, Kursed. Since they're expecting you, try to make a deal."

"We're not exactly going into negotiations on a strong footing Katt."

The pink feline grinned wide. "That's where you'd be wrong. If Wolf doesn't want to listen to reason or credits. I have some leverage and information that will make him dance to our tune. I'd rather have him as a willing partner than a forced ally. Less likely to backstab us that way."

Fox nodded, his eyes shifted back to Kursed, giving her a grateful smile.

"While all this is going down, I'll be standing by in my Catspaw with information and other little tidbits for you two on the ground, while you chat with Wolf."

Fox sighed. "Well, looks like I need your help first with all this Kursed, would you be willing to assist?"

Kursed knew what he was saying, she had asked him for help already, which meant her needs took precedent, but at the same time; Fox running around with a bounty on his head as big as that would be quite difficult for them both. He was asking her if she would help, not telling her. Showing her consideration and not trying to push her into something she didn't volunteer for.

She sat there for a moment, feigning mulling it over in her head, her decision already made, but wanted to make him sweat a bit, in the end, she gave him a nod of agreement."I'll do it, helping you helps me in the long term. Getting that price tag off your head will be conducive to my own goals, and besides, if I can swindle that oaf Oikonny out of his cash at the same time. It works."

Katt beamed "Oh, I definitely like her Foxy! Good choice!"

"Katt!" both vulpines yelled simultaneously.

Her pinkness could only grin in response, her white tipped tail swayed side to side in joy at making the two uncomfortable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Muahahaha, cliffhangers! Hope you all enjoy this not so little section of FK. Some Drama, some good fighting, so many good bits I leave you all to guess with and try to come to conclusions. A bit of clarity for those who may not quite understand. Kursed does not have Split Personality Disorder. Far from it, It's a little idea I thought up, sort of how our minds will shut down or repress memories to help us cope with things. Cerinians do something similar but on a much deeper level. In essence, what Kursed did was repress the sweet and tender side that was Krystal rather than destroy herself to become who she was to survive in a rough galaxy at large as a bounty hunter. Meaning, she had to repress her empathy and a lot of other positive emotions. It's only recently (As in within the last year of this timeline) has Krystal began to emerge but only in short stints such as here. Fox mostly being the catalyst. I know it's laying it out there for you guys but I wanted to clear this one up so people aren't thinking I'm writing Krystal as being a few fries short of a happy meal.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been only a couple of days after Kursed setup the meet with Wolf, both she and Fox were in the armory gearing up for their little endeavor. Fox wore a tight-fitting black outfit that showed off his physique quite nicely, made for stealth and concealment. One which Kursed could not help but let her eyes wander over on occasion while she picked out her own equipment. She studied his form closely, a little grin on her face the whole time. The same blue vixen in question had not donned something not so stealthy. Instead, she was going in something a bit more flexible, as it was a public meet up on Macbeth. The meeting was located in a now-defunct corporate city that was full of pirates and other various unsavory individuals. The location was as a good a place as any really, better on a planet than in Sargasso station where Wolf ruled.

The vixen had donned a deep purple t-shirt with a cerulean blue vest that went over it, her arms were bare save for a pair of fingerless gloves, further, she carried two slugthrowers in holsters strapped to either side of her hips. A pair of shorts completed the outfit along with a set of combat boots. Her staff lay at rest in a sling upon her back while her long cerulean locks were done up in a ponytail.

"Going for a sexy punk look?" Fox teased. "Cause it fits."

"You'd say that if I wore anything you gimp." Kursed retorted with a smirk.

Fox gave her a cheeky grin in return. "Kinda missing the ball-gag and mask for that."

"Maybe if you're a good boy, I'll pick something up." Kursed was rather proud of herself as Fox went red in the ears and shut his mouth, the round of verbal sparring was hers.

Fox coughed lightly at that implication, the poor male blushing profusely. "Anyways, run this plan of yours by me again?" He spoke while picking up a high caliber sniper rifle, slinging it across his back with a blaster holstered on his thigh.

"I setup a meeting in Sargasso proper, at one of the nightclubs he frequents, someplace public where Wolf isn't the rule of law, though he does hold sway there."

"Right, the city that the station takes its name after. The one that the big mining corp touted before it went bust." Fox said with a nod.

"Precisely, Katt was already kind enough to get us plans and layouts of the city so if we need to make a speedy getaway, we have it all up here," she spoke, tapping the eyepiece that both of them Fox wore, blue and green respectively. "We also have the plans to the nightclub, and there just so happens to be some walkways up above where a sniper can hide. Security is rather lax, given the planet's reputation."

"Convenient."

"Indeed. I will meet up with Wolf in person while you cover me from above, should his cronies try to do anything-"

"I start making bodies and covering your escape."

"Exactly." She was delighted Fox was on the same page, it was odd having someone to depend on, a mercenary with experience, one who was used to dealing with such situations. Most, if not all her jobs had been solo operations, Kursed knew Fox was one of the best, his record spoke for itself.

"So, do you know how to use that?" Gesturing to the long barreled firearm, he was carrying.

"Sniper rifles? Yea, of course."

"Correction, ballistic sniper rifle."

Fox blinked. "Huh?"

"Check the magazine."

Fox blinked and turned the weapon over, expecting to see a slot for a battery pack, only to see a bolt handle and an empty space. "Ah hell, who uses ballistics anymore?"

"Me, for starters," Kursed said with an arched eyebrow. "Most folks orient their gear towards energy weapons anyways, ballistics catch them off guard. Your little flicker device wouldn't do shite against them, except maybe slow them down."

'Uhuh."

"You've not been outside Lylat… have you?"

"Can't say I have, no real need to," Fox said with a sheepish smile.

Kursed facepalmed and ran her paw through her blue locks. "Right then, come with me." She picked up two magazines for the bolt action rifle and tugged him along by his belt. She pushed him towards the long arms firing range, pressing a button, a large wooden target popped up way at the end, simulating a live target. She remembered to grab ear protection for them both, it was enough to cancel out loud noises but still, allow verbal communication.

"Right, load the magazines." Fox did so one at a time until it was full at six shots per magazine. They were decent sized rounds with a pointed tip, on the backs near the primer, it read 30.06. An old round, but if Fox knew his firearms well enough, it was a reliable one; no one really used ballistics these days, but he could see the advantages with what Kursed said. It was true, most folks prepared for blasters, ballistics were considered barbaric just like hand to hand weapons were, blasters also didn't jam or require a reload beyond a battery change now and then. However, since she was right about the shields, bullets did have more kinetic energy and wouldn't slow down much. Now that he thought about it, Kursed's reasoning was very sound.

"Now, make sure the safety is on, then slip the magazine in til you hear a click and it won't move, give it a good slap if you need to." Kursed had taken on an instructors tone of voice with him, not condescending, but she obviously wanted him prepared. Fox admitted internally, it was pretty damn sexy with how she was giving him orders. Kursed naturally heard that, but disregarded it, she did not want to make the situation awkward.

Fox did as he was told, after checking to ensure the safety was in place and that the magazine fit snugly into the well. The tell-tale "click" of the magazine latch secured itself in place, and Fox attempted to wiggle the magazine; just as she said, it barely moved at all. The rest was simple, Fox braced the rifle into his shoulder with the finger outside the trigger guard, he took hold of the bolt and moved the action till it was in place and a round was in the chamber. He flicked the safety off and aimed down the scope, following the miller dots, it was a simple 500-yard shot.

"Control your breathing Fox, easy, in, and out."

"I have done this before you know, right?" He muttered.

"Yes, but with energy weapons, nowhere near as much recoil." She shot back. "But if you think you know best, be my guest."

Fox smirked and took aim down the scope, the rifle secure in his shoulder and with two calm breaths, gingerly squeezed the trigger. What happened next had Kursed bursting into laughter, the rifle kicked hard into Fox's shoulder and made him stagger back two steps as the crash of gunfire filled the armory. The force nearly threw him flat on his ass.

"Mother fucker!" Fox snarled, his shoulder feeling it already, face flushed with embarrassment. The beautiful voice of Kursed tantalized his ears with that rich accent, even though her laughter was at his own expense, he still enjoyed the sound of it considerably.

"See! I told you Fox!" she shouted between bouts of laughter.

The todd grumbled to himself in embarrassment, finally situating himself back on the firing line. He was about to start again when a pair of blue and white paws came to rest on his own, contrasting against his orange. Kursed's finger pulled his from the trigger guard while her other paw lay upon his that held the lower grip. If Fox was blushing before, he could be considered cherry at that point: The curvature of her breasts that lay upon his back, that svelte form conforming to his own athletic frame as he felt her press up behind him. His fur rustled at the tender caress of her breath washing through his fiery coat, Fox inhaled sharply as Kursed moved him carefully, guiding him to a proper firing stance. Her voice was smooth as silk in his ears "Now, let me show you how this works. Take the rifle, lean into it, and shoulder it properly. You want to let it surprise you if you anticipate, the shot goes wide, and you'll miss, just like a blaster." The sudden proximity and that delightful rich tone, it made his tail thump against the side of her leg with a mind of its own.

Kursed flushed suddenly, the feeling of that thickly furred appendage gently slapping against her strong leg made Kursed bite her lip as the list of signals McCloud gave off built up. It was clear as day that he was excited by the close contact, and it was having an equally powerful effect on her. His rich scent filled her mind, while the heat radiating off his body comforted her in a way she did not expect. Uneasily, she shifted on her feet as the vixen adjusted her stance to get more comfortable. With effort, Kursed controlled her voice, though it was a whisper compared to her instructor's voice seconds ago. "Chamber another round." The blue vixen ordered quietly.

Fox swallowed a mouthful of saliva, her voice tickled his ears in such a beautiful way coupled with how her body pressed to his, the sensations that were flowing through him brought about such a feeling of perfection; it made focusing on the task at hand very trying. Finally, he found his brain and worked the action, sliding another round into the chamber. "Now, together, breath in… and out." Fox followed her instructions as he did his best to remain calm with the alien vixen so close to him. The moment was nowhere as intimate as it seemed, he assured himself; it was all a big misunderstanding, only for that idea to be quelled the moment it sprang when her delicate, fluffy tail draped over his upper thigh. Even with the distractions, his disciplined mind restrained him from going off the rails, though he found himself wondering what Kursed was thinking at that moment, wishing he had the power to read her thoughts.

The vixens voice was laced with excitement, each moment they stood in proximity, it grew. The tension became almost unbearable, yet the two powered through it. "Okay… now, when you're ready, squeeze." Her finger lay atop his within the trigger guard, almost like a guide as Fox aimed down his scope. The todd's chest compressed lightly as he exhaled through his nose, making it far easier to target. With lungs emptied, Fox gingerly squeezed, and this time, he did not fly back. The rifle kicked but held true, and the bullet careened down range, striking the target center of mass, blasting a sizeable hole through what would be the unfortunate targets chest cavity. A clear, well-placed kill shot.

Kursed smiled proudly as Fox handled the rifle quite well, she could hear this thoughts plain as day. Each one was sweeter than the last, a deep flush was born on her cheeks as she tried to ignore them. His mind, however, would not relent, those emotions and thoughts were alight with want and becoming stronger with each passing moment, every single one of them directed at her. Though he was trying to betray his thoughts and ignore the proximity between them, the sensations of their bodies pressed intimately together, that already extreme body temperature skyrocketing as his brain threatened to short circuit. The way his tail was still thumping away at her leg; it was too damn adorable. Kursed found herself wanting to hold onto him, reluctant to part from their sweet embrace. She found him to be wonderfully warm and fluffy, combined with the beautiful musculature of his body. It was a pleasure in itself being pressed against him, her finely toned arms were wrapped around the todd, her frame conforming to his while her head lay at rest upon his left shoulder. Even her heart had begun to race with how their bodies were pressed together, the vixen experiencing a burning desire that built in the pit of her stomach, one that only became stronger with what came next.

Slowly, Fox's head turned to look at her, emerald eyes stared deep into turquoise, both reflecting the same desire they held true to their hearts. The todd's breathing was slow, the way it washed over her snout brought about a strange sense of comfort, with it came a pull, a desire to lean in and press her lips to his, she could all but hear Fox's mind screaming at him to do the same. It was the instinctual draw of male and female, even if it wasn't the most traditional romantic of moments, it was a moment for them, and neither would have traded it for anything else. The pair inched towards each other, closing the distance until their lips were just millimeters apart before Kursed hesitated, her mind asserted itself, forcing her to draw away with an internal growl, turning around as her tail fluffed out. The moment was gone as quick as it came.

Fox's eyes softened, they had been so very close, it was a moment he would never forget, how cherished he felt in her arms. The care that was hidden away had come to light, and for a moment, he swore there was a sight of someone else entirely, full of love, warmth and a need more significant than anything he had ever witnessed. Not of lust, but a desire to be loved. This strange bounty hunter from another world had so many secrets. At that moment, Fox made it a personal mission to learn more about her, even if he had to do it in secret. The events that unfolded left him stinging slightly, but he would weather it. He had lived what she had been through already, and though he was ready, she was not.

_She's scared, I can't blame her. I used to be just as bad, if not worse. It'll happen when the time is right._

He could hear Kursed muttering to herself angrily, Fox wanted to say something, anything to help her, but his words failed, he felt that if he said anything, it would serve to cause only more trouble. In its stead, he went back to shooting to try and end the very awkward nature of the moment. His tail flicked left and right while his hears lay back against his skull.

While Fox was busy at the range, Kursed was having an internal war of the mind. She had been so wonderfully close to bliss, she knew it, felt it in her bones. All she needed to do was for once in her life actually trust someone. Her inner demons, however, would not relent, yelling at her, berating her for her childish wants, nothing mattered but her revenge, love was not a factor. There was nothing but the mission. The todd was a means to an end, nothing more to her. She knew that to be a half-truth, the vixen knew of her strength, the muscle and sinew in her body was a testament to it. Her combat prowess and the fact she had survived for three years on her own was evidence of her ability to endure. Yet still, she found herself wanting to prove herself, to show that she was not some weakling, the idea that she needed someone else to lean on, it caused her pride to take a self-inflicted shot to the head. Kursed was terrified of not only bungling a relationship with Fox, but it was also the thought of letting him see her, the soft, vulnerable interior she kept hidden under lock and key. To be exposed, unprotected. It terrified her beyond words. With her mind in open rebellion and her ego shot to hell, she stood up and forced herself into a state of calm. As much as she could anyway; before departing the armory, she spoke to Fox without looking at him, her voice empty and devoid of all the warmth it had possessed moments ago.

"I'll be back." Her voice came out icy, devoid of any warmth that had been held within it earlier.

Fox watched her go, shaking his head quietly as he resumed practice. He was unsure of which hurt more, her tone, or the fact she wouldn't look at him.

Down the hall, Kursed proceeded to her room, making for the bathroom and the medicine cabinet therein. She pulled out the bottle of pills that kept her telepathy and emotional centers in check. An apprehensive breath left her chest, two of the tablets lay in her palm as she gingerly shook the bottle to get what was needed. The cerulean vixen stared at the container, then the tablets and finally the sink. Her conscience begged her to throw them away, to spill them all out and get away from the medication, to free herself of that vice. Her training and upbringing whispered to her, that she was missing a key element in her life, it was a partner, possibly a team, but most of all, someone she could trust and confide in; be it a friend or a mate. Someone who could help shore up her mental defenses, to no longer be alone, someone who was her emotional bedrock and provide stability within her life. Cerinians were not meant for operating on their own, a very select few who showed the traits for such operations were ever sent out as lone operators. The mental link was crucial to almost all Cerinians, barring a small minority. Its why so few individuals left their world, it was almost always in groups. The vixens mind reasoned that Fox could be that partner, he was a prime candidate for a mate, even if he wasn't Cerinian. He was strong, honest, and very brave, wearing that candor on his sleeve, and damned those who did not appreciate it. Kursed knew, all she needed to do take him by the paw, and lay claim to him. It was clear he wanted it, and she felt the growing desire in her heart to have him close grow with each passing day. It was powerful, incessant, already she had been having some very provocative dreams about the two of them together. Strong reactions like those meant one sure fire thing, that she had found a compatible mate, and her very being was telling her as much.

Her throat bobbed as anxiety built, the thoughts of having Fox as hers in more ways than one, the idea of teaming up with a living legend, being his in all respects, and him being hers. The major crux of the problem that prevented her from marching out into the armory, pinning him to the nearest wall and shoving her tongue down his throat lay in her paw. The medicine that had been her crutch all these years. Combined with her own instability, made it nearly impossible for her to form lasting relationships.

Many a time Kursed thought about it, going cold turkey would be quite painful, but in the end, she knew a part of herself would be restored… and that frightened her more than anything. The ability to be empathetic again, to feel others emotions so purely while a beautiful thing on Cerinia, out in the black, it could be a nightmare if one wasn't able to regulate it properly. A single tear ran down her cheek as she downed the pills. Her head hung over the sink, paws resting on either side as she felt her emotions drain away, leaving her mind calm, relaxed and an empty vessel. There was no emotion in her eyes, it was as if every part of her sloughed away, leaving only the calculating killer in its place. Deep in her subconscious mind, she despised the very crutch that had once saved her, as overtime, it evolved into an addiction, one she was not strong enough to get rid of.

A half hour had passed when Kursed returned to the armory. When the vixen entered, Fox immediately noticed the difference. Her posture was less natural, stiffer, her eyes were cold and empty, no longer did they carry the playful energy she had earlier. She seemed… blank almost, like the vixen he knew was gone and replaced with whoever was in front of him. Fox cleared the chamber on his rifle and made sure everything was safe before placing it down on the firing lane, bolt open and barrel down range.

"Kursed? You alright?"

Kursed turned her head towards him, the way she did so was in such a starchy manner that it unnerved him a great deal.

"I'm fine Fox, get your gear together, we have a job to do." The vixen picked up her equipment and went out the door.

That voice worried him, it was how vacant it came across, sure it had that tinge of her accent, but it was flat, no excitement, no emotion. Nothing. It was intensely disconcerting to him, just seeing her so cold and devoid of anything that would constitute she was herself. However, Fox opted to let it go, for the time being, he slung the rifle over his shoulder via a strap, grabbed his sidearm and a couple batteries for his blaster which was coupled with a rather vicious looking serrated knife that was sheathed in a front left chest strap.

**Several hours later**

Fox lay prone on the ceiling walkways of Club Onai, a glorified elongated warehouse was where the club was housed. Full of neon lights, laser shows and all manner of garish bright stinging colors. Fox grimaced as his rifle lay at rest on a bipod while his eyes drifted down into the crowd. The green eyepiece hooked into his scope to allow him to track Kursed through the throng of moving bodies, no one could see him up there, his black outfit helping him blend into the darkness. Fox was thankful for that, Sargasso city was a pirate city, the rule of law usually came at the end of a gun or a physical beat down. Speaking of beats, the rhythm within the club thundered in his ear, aggressive, bestial, primal, as presented by the various grinding and rubbing bodies below on the dance floor; enacting what could "politely" be called dancing. As much as the beat was getting to him, he was here on business, with a check of his headset that was connected to the eyepiece, Fox resumed his position behind the scope. The todd was quite thankful for the tech Katt had loaned them, giving him the ability to hear everything Kursed said, along with anyone in her immediate vicinity. His scope was zeroed in on the blue vixen in question, following her every step.

He had seen more than a few males, and even females try to garner her attention, but with her usual stoicism, she batted them away, clearly not interested in anything they had to offer. Her path led to the VIP section. A lone guard stood at the red velvet and brass ended rope that sectioned it off from the dance floor. The large bulky German Shepard looked more like a thug or gang member than a proper guard. The canine scrutinized Kursed before speaking into a microphone on his leather jacket, after a moment, he pulled the rope open and let her pass without incident. Kursed proceeded with little care in the world, if she did care, the vixen kept it well under wraps.

Fox was the opposite, he was tense, mostly due to the fact he was deep in enemy territory, pirates, bounty hunters, and all other kinds of scum would love the payday and reputation for bringing him down. He was no stranger to his work, but, only a fool or a brazen liar would ever admit to never having fear.

Kursed made her way towards the table where he saw O'Donnell and his crew sitting there, grateful that he could see Leon and Panther. Fox was sorely tempted to drop each and every one of them, it would end a long time threat to Lylat and be an immense catharsis for himself. It took all his willpower to restrain himself at that moment. With a deep calming sigh, he curtailed his urge to kill Wolf and his cronies, easing his finger off the trigger. The orange vulpine found his center and calmed himself, relaxing his muscles and mind into a calm state. They would be fine, both he and Kursed were professionals. Leagues and bounds in skill compared to Wolfs little goon squad in ground combat. Leon was the most significant threat out of the three, swift and agile compared to Wolf who relied on sheer brute force, and Panther… he was somewhere in the middle of that.

"Let's hope this goes smoothly," Fox muttered

"I don't expect any trouble Fox, but that's why you're here."

"What you expect and what happens are two different things."

"Exactly."

Fox shivered in discomfort, that empty voice was making him question just what kind of woman Kursed really was, that such a beautiful vixen as her, could sound so emotionally empty.

_I got to find out what's causing that. For both our sakes. Her attitude has been all over the place this last week._

**X-X-X-X**

Kursed strode past various booths and tables, her thick blue tail swaying side to side as she went. The triangular ears atop her head on a constant swivel, catching snippets of conversation, some of it well outside the boundaries of polite conversation, others were far more business oriented. However, the subject of her primary focus was at the very back, secluded but still open enough for her sniper to provide cover should things go south. At the back booth sat Wolf O'Donnell, a notorious pirate, crime lord and mercenary, his accolades spanned from simple raiding, all the way to corporate sabotage. Clad in a leather duster, black t-shirt and jeans, his signature eye patch and an intimidating blaster sat before him on the table beside a bottle of whiskey.

To the lupines immediate right, was his lieutenant and known assassin, Leon Powalski, the chameleon had a reputation for removing targets that get in his bosses way with nary a care in the world. Sadistic, pragmatic, Leon was not someone to toy with. The lizard was delicately balancing a knife on the tips of his fingers while clad in a sleek outfit, obviously built for his natural flexibility and speed.

On Wolfs left, was the newest and probably most questionable member of their team. Panther Caroso, he had a gift for firearms, ability to fly and a self-professed ladies man, his criminal record was about as twisted as the other two, though, some of his crimes were far more gruesome than others. Kursed had very little tolerance for such creatures, and according to Katt's info, his motto was "If it has a pulse, he'll fuck it." He was manipulative, knowing how to take advantage of those of weak will and the desperate. She had no delusions that he would leave her alone and thus mentally braced herself for the man's advances.

The group quickly noticed her approach, two of Wolf's henchmen stood before the mysterious vixen, both were armed with blaster rifles and decked out in top-grade security armor. She knew the drill, arms out to the side, as one guard set about patting her down, she let them do their thing, the only item of questionable nature they found on her, was her staff, which much to her relief, they disregarded. Both her eyepiece and pistols were left, she was, after all, surrounded by Wolf and his cronies. Convinced that they had the advantage over her regardless of dealing with a Cerinian. After final checks were made, Kursed was allowed to proceed and found an open chair in front of O'Donnell, Leon with his odd eyes examined her while the one named Panther gained a salacious grin on his face. Kursed already felt disgusted by Panther's mere presence.

"So, this is the infamous Kursed." The feline spoke, his foreign accent caused his r's to roll rather ridiculously. "You are far more lovely than I imagined, for I have never seen such an exotic beauty among the stars in all my life."

Kursed rolled her eyes at the flowery words, she did not come to the club to deal with Panthers crap. The svelte vixen was there on business. "Not here to talk with you, you sodding bell end, here to talk with your boss. Save your compliments for the pub slags."

Panther merely grinned wide. "Oh, a challenge, Panther likes that, tell me, how does a woman as beautiful as you become a deadly hunter?"

Wolf rolled his eye. "Panther, for once, can you keep it in your pants? Fuck sakes." He growled.

"Sorry boss, but Panther cannot resist the allure of such a glamorous beauty, her fur is like the ocean-"

Kursed growled low in her throat as the idiot went on and on, comparing her to various things of beauty. If the words were actually meaningful, she would have maybe at some point found them endearing, but the fact he spoke in the third person, and from what she knew of his profile, all he wanted was a quick dirty fuck, a conquest. Nothing more.

It was after the fifteen-second mark, Kursed became tempted to tell Fox to take the idiot out, a sudden thought of brilliance filled her mind, one that would hopefully teach him a valuable lesson.

Kursed's voice went from the cold, emotionless hunter to being sultry, laced with desire, all feigned of course. "A challenge Panther? Even a cold woman such as myself desires a bit of warm company." She even went so far as to crook her finger, beckoning the large cat over. Ever the opportunist, Panther was eager and seeing such a beautiful prize ready for the taking there before him, he wasn't going to pass it up.

He had no idea that he had just stepped into a shark tank, no concept of the consequences he was about to face. His arrogance would be his undoing.

The black feline slid around the table until he stood next to Kursed, a little growl of pleasure at her scent and presence. Kursed could not believe he fell into such a blatant deception, the man was apparently not that quick on the uptake. His tail lashed side to side with eagerness, only for a shrill yowl of pain filled the area. The black feline felt a surge of searing, mighty agony originating from his groin region as Kursed's paw shot out to grab him by his nether regions and began to twist painfully, efficiently bringing the male to his very knees, tears streamed down his face freely.

Leon went to get up, but Wolf shot him a look that told him to stay back. Leon knew that stare, Panther needed to learn. He sat back down while Wolf waved his guards off, letting Kursed do her thing, so long as it didn't escalate.

"Now, listen here Caroso, I am not some doey eyed girl, weak to whatever charm you think you have. I am Cerinian, born and bred, you should know very well what that means, and I bet you do, don't you?" She growled menacingly, her voice filled with nothing but threat.

The black feline eyes widened in terror, he thought the fur was just dye and the tattoos for looks. He never once thought to encounter an honest to gods Cerinian. If even half the stories about them were true, Panther realized just how much trouble he was in.

"Your first mistake, Caroso" she began, giving a rather painful twist that made him clench in agony once more. "Was assuming that I would fall under your spell, you over inflated prat." Her eyes were locked on his as if boring into his very soul. Those very same eyes made Caroso profoundly nervous, and it took quite a bit to elicit such a reaction from him. He might be fresh on the team, but the feline had experience in far more gruesome things. It was the way the vixen was staring at him like he didn't even exist, as though he were nothing, less than nothing. He was the scum on her boot, an insect beneath her feet.

The thing was, while Kursed did not enjoy inflicting pain on others, she could still be vicious, even more so when she was under the effects of her medication. Said medication was only supposed to silence her telepathy, but it also had an incredibly strong side effect to her emotional centers, it's flaw, was that did very little to halt her more malicious side. If anything, due to the lack of empathy, it made it far easier to fall into such mannerisms. It made her into a very brutally efficient bounty hunter.

"The second mistake, you know my reputation and **still** came chasing my tail like some horny boy seeing his first pair of tits." Her claws bit deep beneath his flight pants, threatening to shred his pride in more ways than one, the pain Caroso was enduring, there wasn't a real word that could adequately describe what he was feeling.

"Your third and final mistake, was walking into an obvious trap, did you think that my sudden shift from disregarding you, to being interested was genuine? If you did, you're an even larger pillock than I initially thought. The very idea that I would sully myself with you?" She growled through savage bared fangs, her claws dug into Panthers groin as he screamed in pain. "Is a laughable one, you're not even the same species. I have standards, and you Caroso, most certainly do not meet them. Not even by the closest of margins. Do you understand?" When he didn't respond right away, she gave another near skin shredding squeeze. "Do. You. Understand?"

Panther nodded emphatically, wishing she would release his privates from her vice-like grip. When the vixen finally let go, he breathed a sigh of relief, when suddenly, his head was grabbed and slammed face first into the wood. A crunch of broken nose filled the air, and two front teeth were knocked out as the black cat fell back unconscious. Kursed had made her point very clear, she was all business, and not afraid, even though she was in the wolf's den.

With a clap of her blue furred paws, dusting them off as though she had taken out the trash; Kursed resumed her neutral position, not even pretending nothing had happened. She just did not care. The table was eerily silent while Kursed got herself comfortable, her left leg came to neatly rest upon her right knee, paws interlaced while her elbows lay at rest upon the table, nonchalance clearly written upon her face. Her posture was polite, prim and proper.

"Now that your dog with two dicks is silent, perhaps we can get down to real business."

Wolf looked at the comatose feline sprawled on the ground and gave a shake of his head. It was only a matter of time before the idiot got into trouble. "Ruffian, take him in the back and let him recover, an' get someone to mop up the blood." He groused, lighting a cigarette as he leaned forward with interest. "Alright Kursed, what's this about eh? Where's McCloud?"

"Fox is someplace only I know, and until I deem such a time as to bring him out of that place, no one will find him. As I explained on the communicator Wolf, I want to make a deal, one I think will benefit us both financially and personally."

Wolf was intrigued, as indicated by his ears pricking forwards and the way he was leaning forward. "Go on."

"I personally find it distasteful to work for someone like Andrew, the idiot has no idea how to truly work the game like you or myself, I may be a simple bounty hunter, but I fully understand the politics that run in this system. That being said, I intend to collect my payment from Andrew, then promptly take what I want from him, of which I will share my half the spoils with you, Wolf." Part of it was a bluff, most of it was to garner Wolf's attention, but there were nuggets of truth, she despised Andrew with her very being, though she hadn't a clue about Lylatian politics, she knew the basics, but not the ins and outs.

Wolf arched his eyebrow over the one good eye, taking a drag off his cigarette in curiosity. "Interesting, a double cross, and you're quite candid about it. Got to respect you for that, didn't know Cerinians had that kind of spine in em'. Maybe I underestimated you, but why the change eh? McCloud get to you?"

Kursed did not react to the barb, she had to play it cool for the time being. "Let's just say, McCloud has a set of skills I need to fulfill a personal objective. One which has been a long time coming. He has resources and influence that I intend to make full use of."

That further intrigued Wolf. "Very interesting indeed Kursed, considering how large the payout is for McCloud's head, and you intend to cut me in for half? How do I know you won't just turn around and put a blaster bolt in my skull? Not to mention, why would I need more money? I'm already raking in credits hand over fist."

It was a valid question, one which Kursed knew would come up. "Because Oikonny has dirt on you, and information he could use to bring down your whole operation." She stated flatly, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a simple rectangular data stick.

"From a friend of mine, on this stick, is information my contact dug up when they raided a Venomian data facility a few years back. Oikonny has been scrounging information up on you, just as much no doubt you have been on him. He might be a complete tool, but he's far from stupid."

Wolf ground his teeth together, accidentally biting the filter of his cigarette off and spat it from his mouth "I see.. blackmail is it?"

"Hardly, it's an honest trade, credits, information, in exchange, you help Fox and me when the time comes, but, I will warn you; I have backups that are set on a dead man switch. If you think to double cross me, they will go right to the Cornerian Air Guard, and I'm sure they would love to have all that neat little information to pick you apart, piece by piece." Her voice was utterly serene, delivering a threat in the very heart of O'Donnell's territory no less, not a single twinge of fear in sight.

Wolf sat there, chewing on the information just presented to him before he started chuckling, it then quickly evolved into uproarious laughter for several minutes. He eventually calmed down after wiping a tear from his good eye. "Oh hell girl, I like you, balls as big as mine. You come into my territory, smash one of my teammates face in for not keeping it in his pants, offer a deal to double cross one of the most influential names on Venom; then, to top off this whole thing, you threaten me and mine. McCloud might be my rival in the pilot department, but holy shit Kursed, you got us both in terms of testicular fortitude."

He lit himself another one of those cancer sticks as Kursed awaited his answer. "Tell you what, you got a deal, mostly because I love the game you're playing here. The credits and that data stick, are just icing on the cake. I already know you won't give me the copies, just make sure those never see the light of day, or I will come after you."

Kursed did not rise to the threat, merely putting the data stick back into her pocket."Good. My copies will probably be useless anyways other than for old information once you shore things up." She replied. "You'll get the data after we successfully make the drop and raid Oikonny's data-banks on the station you were supposed to take Fox to."

"It'll be weird since you're not supposed to come with us when we drop him off. Then again, you Cerinians are odd, what with your honor an' all that shit. So, I'm sure I can convince Oikonny to let you come aboard."

"Boss…" Leon spoke up with mild apprehension. "You sure this is a good idea?"

Wolf turned to his longtime friend and lieutenant. "It's only a matter of time before Andrew double-crosses us, might as well do it before he gets the upper hand. Even if it means working with McCloud."

Leon smacked his lips in thought before nodding, it made sense, he just didn't like going into enemy turf with only the element of surprise to his advantage. "I'll get Panther patched up and ready for operations. Hopefully your little display there will prevent him from thinking with his dick for five minutes."

Kurseds ear flicked as Fox spoke to her. "I give it thirty seconds, tops." His voice was a touch apprehensive, as though something had unnerved him further than he already was. She chalked it up going this deep into hostile territory, but something was telling her it was more than that. The cobalt vixen disregarded it for the time being and resumed the discussion.

**X-X-X-X**

The todd hidden in the rafters had been watching the whole ordeal from his elevated perch, having just observed what transpired made his groin hurt.

Not that he didn't deserve it after the shit he's done. Still, even that made me uncomfortable.

His eyes began to wander over the crowd, sifting through it and looking for any possible threats when his eyes spied strange movement. Fox moved his scope over in the direction of several cloaked figures that were walking towards the VIP section with haste, and more were following up behind them. The guard let them pass without even checking for weapons.

**Shit.**

Fox immediately reacted by shouldering the rifle and whispered into the microphone.

"Kursed, we got trouble."

The vixen down below let her ear flick once more. Her eyes instantly narrowed at the grinning face of Wolf O'Donnell. It seemed Katt was right, O'Donnell was not one to be trusted in the slightest.

"It would seem the double cross is already in play." She said smoothly, bracing her paws on the underside of the table if the next words out of his mouth were anything but counter to what was coming.

"The hell are you on about sister?" Though her telepathy was at its minimal capacity, she saw the genuine surprise on his face, that told her everything she needed to know.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, listening to the rapid approach of boots. She braced her foot and hand on the table to give her maximum leverage to throw herself off to the side. "Get to cover!" She barked, dodging off to the side as blaster fire began tearing through the VIP section. Kursed rolled low and wound up behind the wall to her right. "Fox, don't fire yet, I don't want them to know we have support!"

Wolf's reaction was to promptly yell some obscenity as both he and Leon upended the table, using it for makeshift cover as blaster bolts began punching through the wood, sending chunks of burning debris scattering about. Wolf had recovered his blaster just before, looking to the cobalt vixen with a narrowed eye. "Friends of yours Kursed?!"

"Damned if I know O'Donnell! I thought they were yours!"

"Nope! My own don't shoot at me! Leon!"

"On it boss." He said quietly and melded into the background.

Fox watched as events unfolded, the entire club was in a panic, more of the cloaked individuals shirked off their exterior, revealing black armored suits, armored suits he knew well and to his horror, began to fire into the crowd. Shit! Venomian Elite Guard! What are they doing here?!

"Kursed, they're Venomian, which means Andrew knows we're here!"

The cerulean vixen ground her teeth, wondering just how that was possible considering she encrypted all her communications and then blinked. "Wolf, you idiot! You didn't secure your lines did you?!"

"What?!" He barked back, peering around to fire a blaster bolt at one of the advancing armored troops.

"Your communications are bugged!"

"How the hell do you know that?!" Wolf shouted, squeezing off several more red bolts.

"Because I was smart enough to alter my frequencies and keep my shite encrypted!"

"Dammit!"

Meanwhile, back up in the rafters, Fox was chatting away with Katt.

"Katt, Venomians, find their comm-link and get us in there! If these guys are here, you can bet your ass Andrew isn't far away!"

"Working on it Fox, but it'll take a bit."

Fox growled, he was tired of waiting. He looked to Kursed and Wolf's position, just as he lined up his shot; Leon came from the shadows and drove a knife clean through one of the guard's sternum. The act eviscerated the trooper in one blow, Fox took his shot next to the lizard and promptly blasted a hole clean through the soldier's helmet and out the front, both falling dead in a heap, quickly working the bolt to chamber another round.

Kursed saw the opening as bodies dropped, she shouted out to Wolf and Leon both. "Let's go!" The vixen was up and down the hall in a flash, both canine and lizard were with a pair of guards right behind her. Fox was having a field day up in his position, the rifles suppressor doing much to keep his position concealed as he dropped each of the soldiers with well-aimed shots. It was not to last; unfortunately, the soldiers saw their fellows go down, and with no sign of an aggressor on the floor, they began looking to other positions while ducking into cover. Fox felt it before it happened and rolled out of his position, that telltale twinge of his instincts screaming at him to move. The rifle was left behind as he rolled out into the open air, gravity took hold as he began to fall with the wind whipping about him, scant micro-seconds later dozens of blaster bolts melted his previous position.

_Bastards must have had thermals!_

He came falling from on high and tucked himself in, landing on one foot only to roll into the nearest armed guard and lunge, without missing a beat, he drew his knife from the front holster and stabbed it vertically, just beneath the helmets front visor. The arterial spray was almost comical if not for the seriousness of the matter. Fox swiftly used the soldier as a shield, putting the body between himself and the incoming blaster fire. The poor soldiers fellows not caring for the dead trooper as they lit up the body with their weapons. The vulpine was thankful that Venomian troops were indeed geared for blaster fire as Fox primed his shield.

"Kursed! Lil' Help!"

"Coming!" She yelled back into the comms.

Fox used the body for a few seconds more, moving over to the bar as he lept over it, leaving the corpse behind. The bar would make for far better cover, he was surprised because, at the moment, there was a scatter blaster being pointed in his face by an irate looking hound dog. The bartender looked at him with a fury fit to kill. The dog was a rather portly fellow, a hardened soul for sure, considering he was clutching a scatter blaster to his chest and aimed it right at Fox without even blinking.

"Whoa, Whoa old timer, this isn't my fault. Blame that damned idiot Andrew!"

The old dog rolled his eyes. "First Venomians, and now Fox McCloud, will wonders never fuckin' cease! I'm taking out the damage to my bar on your ass McCloud!"

"Sheesh, I'll pay for the repairs ya grumpy bastard, provided we survive this!"

"Damn right you will!" The old dog stood up and pumped off two shots from his scatter blaster at the invading Venomians. Fox didn't see if the dog scored any hits as his eyes were focused intensely on the plasma grenade that landed right in front of him. With reflexes born from the battlefield, he turned his shield up to maximum and grabbed the old dog and threw them down. Fox made use of his own body to cover the canine as the bar was obliterated in a searing blue fire.

Kursed paused mid-stride, the sound of an enormous explosion going off that was followed by the sudden static in her ears made her blood run ice cold. For nary a second, the world stood still until she took off with blurring speed, Kursed burst onto the scene and the world that greeted her was total bedlam. Innocents (as much as they could be on Macbeth) littered the floor, dead and the dying, guilty and innocent, burned, bloodied bodies scattered the dance floor. Her eyes dragged on towards the trail that led to the decimated bar. Wood, glass, and metal were shorn apart, fragments scattered everywhere, the smoking remains of a bar was all that remained. She felt the world still, the vixen's eyes caught only the sight of a very still black-clad Fox McCloud on top of an equally still old hound dog. Neither of them were moving, she couldn't detect thought patterns from Fox nor the old man, and her eyepiece failed to display Fox's vitals. It only added to the already perfect storm brewing in her mind.

Her heart stuttered, even with the medication coursing through her, she felt the stab in her very core. Instead of shutting down, her heart began to race. More of Wolf's men arrived and began to return fire at the invading Venomians, Leon and Wolf were in the fray beside them, firing with controlled discipline. Kursed stood out in the open, her fists balled while she began to hyperventilate, flashes of her home crossed before her eyes, instead of dead Lylatians, she saw her friends and family, butchered by the Altas, bodies strewn about. The vixen's pulse thundered in her ear like the drums of war that grew into a powerful crescendo; She was alone again, the vixen wanted to deny it up and down, but his body was there, lifeless and still. He was dead because of her, she had not been quick enough. Kursed continued to stack the blame on herself, laying it on as the self-inflicted pain built into a maelstrom of rage until finally, she snapped.

With an eerie calmness she strode onto the dance floor, her pistols drawn as blaster bolts whizzed by her, nothing seemed to touch her, even as they aimed, the bolts just seem to curve away, impacting the walls behind her. Her eyes were filled with murder, her body a coiled spring of a deadly predator that was finally let loose. In a blinding blur of speed, she bounded forward, the vixen's legs went taught before using the explosive force from her natural vulpine agility, augmented by her already impressive Cerinian training, to propel herself high up into the air. Both pistols held out in front as she fired them akimbo, catching two of the soldiers in the chest with those large caliber rounds, punching through their shielding and armor with ease.

Their fellows never got the chance to react before she bounced off her foot upon landing and rolled into cover, firing as she went, claiming several more soldiers. Kursed was swift and merciless as her brass clattered on the floor with each cartridge ejected from the pistols, claiming soldier after soldier. Her snout upturned into a brutal snarl, that graceful vulpine body fluid, unpredictable, the soldiers barely able to get her in their sights before she moved again. Kursed sprang backward off her feet, landing behind a row of bushes that were burning from plasma impacts, her pistols slid back, empty. One thought echoed throughout her mind.

Kill. Them. All. Kursed drew her staff without hesitation and held it before her, thumbing the release; the weapon extended with a distinct metallic shink, the beautiful golden staff tipped with the azure gem, a beautiful piece of craftsmanship from her home. She almost hated to tarnish it with the blood of unworthy foes such as these… almost. It thrummed with powerful energy as Kursed channeled herself into it, the thirst for revenge, her rage directed at these bastards for killing Fox. As far as she was concerned, they were all dead men walking.

The cobalt vixen came barreling forth from her cover, a wild yell in her foreign tongue as she descended upon them. The opposing soldiers were dumbstruck, they had never seen someone so quick, they had only experience with Lylatians as combatants, the only one who could possibly even match her was Fox McCloud. One of the troopers finally got some sense in his head and ordered the rest of his squad to concentrate on the blue vixen who danced among them. Her speed and strength were slaughtering them; but before even a single shot could land, she stabbed her staff into the hard floor, and a swirling blue shield surrounded her, every shot was absorbed into the shimmering dome, further adding onto her staffs power. Kursed could feel it well within her, the staff was apart of her being, an extension of her physical self. Very few Lylatians ever had witnessed a fully trained Cerinian warrior in their element, and Kursed was about to show them why the reputation they had was deserved.

Wolf and his cohorts watched on as Kursed took the brunt, seeing an opening he directed his guards and soldiers to open up on the few exposed Venomians. Dropping several in the process as more began to file in through the doors and now shattered windows. "Fuck sakes, how many troops did that moron Andrew bring?!"

Leon merely shrugged in response, firing his own blaster rifle down range, plinking one of the entering soldiers with ease. "Dunno boss, but Andrew must think he has the upper hand if he was bold enough to pull this off."

"Yea well, that fuckin' ape is gonna regret this shit, we need to get Kursed out of there-"

"I don't think she'll be a problem boss. She's about to unleash all hell upon them."

"Fuck you mean?"

"Just watch, and I recommend everyone duck down."

Wolf and several of his guards did as the chameleon instructed. If Leon recommended caution, it was usually wise to listen.

Back behind the bar Fox stirred groggily amidst the debris, shaking his head with a groan. The todds vision was blurred from the concussion pounding away in his mind, dust, metal, and glass slid off his form as he held the side of his head with a paw while getting his bearings. A quick recovery was not forthcoming, but Fox found he was functional enough. The orange vulpine remembered a plasma grenade just before he set his personal shield to full strength, which was currently burnt out, no doubt from taking the brunt of that blast. Fox was grateful it had saved both him and the old dog, to which he quickly checked to see if the canine in question was still breathing. Much to Fox's relief, he was. The fiery todd checked his pistol, recovered his combat knife and took stock of the situation, he was in one piece, his clothes were signed, but all weapons still functioned, and he was alive; overall a good start.

Fox took in his surroundings, looking about to see if he could find Kursed or anyone else. He peaked around the corner of what was left of the bar and spied Wolf and company across the way in cover, but surprisingly only taking pot shots, their eyes glued to some sort of spectacle. He was about to take a look when a thunderous crack filled the air followed by the very foundations of the building shaking violently, tossing him and everyone else around.

_What **was** that?!_

Fox stood up on wobbly legs as the shaking subsided a few seconds later, and what graced his eyes was simultaneously awe-inspiring, and fear-inducing.

Kursed was alone, but far from outgunned. She was among the enemy, dancing about them, her staff was a golden whirlwind of death and destruction as it cracked visor plates clean open, pierced through chest armor as though it were the sharpest of blades, the end of her staff claiming many lives as it whirled about unceasingly. He could hear every bone crunch, every impact, what caught his attention the most, however, was in between her leaps and bounds, was her face, her eyes were half-lidded, muzzle upturned in a vengeful snarl, her clothing matted from sweat and the few enemies who had bled on her. The Venomians couldn't touch her, her movements far too erratic, unpredictable, and yet, Fox could just barely make out the pattern. How she would duck and weave the moment someone was going to fire at her like she could see it coming. People speculated that Cerinians had more powers beyond simple mind reading, Fox was privy to that information, but clairvoyance was not something he expected at all if that indeed is what it was. It certainly did not help that Venomian rifles were lengthy in regards to weaponry, which made it easy for her to knock weapons aside with her staff or jar them enough to throw off the aim. Though something was nagging at him in the back of his aching mind, the soldiers were barely taking cover and mostly stood out in the open, their maneuvers were sloppy, and while Venomian equipment was a strange mixture of insane technology and mass produced garbage, their officer corps were usually well trained. Their standard line infantry were the trash, often jokingly referred to as "The Wall of Guns."

Fox knew he was in a bad way, his vision was blurry, and while he could see the general vicinity of where Krystal was fighting along with her actions, he still saw double. It would take some time before he was better, but Fox being Fox, would not relent. He used his sight to move in the general direction, but after crossing half the distance he closed his eyes, honing his hearing and sense of smell. A trick that he had trained himself to do in case of such an occasion where sight was not an option. Fox easily picked out Kursed from the others. Foxes smelled distinctly different from Ape and Lizard, and he used that as his guide. The todd would not let Kursed stand alone, even in his impaired state and with no regard to himself, Fox lept into the fray. The todd sprinted over the ground as he drew his blaster, squeezing off several bolts that found their mark in two separate targets, the armor held up for a second before the consecutive shots would punch through. With the smell of melting metal and burning fur, Fox fired off more shots. His ears swiveled as he heard someone swing a heavy rifle at him only for him to bend backward like a reed in the wind, followed by whipping back up and crashing into the very same soldier who had withstood the attack by sheer luck. The ape couldn't respond quick enough as he was rolled over and Fox began caving the face plate in with the grip of that heavy pistol.

The Cerinian vixen blinked in some confusion as one, and then two fell, at first she thought it was Wolf, only to see it was the man she thought dead just moments ago. Relief ran through her as her heart raged, conflicting emotions plagued her mind, but were quickly silenced as she watched Fox tackle one of the soldiers to the ground and smash the unfortunate soldiers face in. The vixen both pissed off well beyond reason and simultaneously wanting to pull that handsome todd tight and snog him for all he was worth. She knew his penchant for fighting through the pain, and with a concussion he had no doubt from the blast, Fox was struggling through a monstrous headache. In her moment of reflection, a Venomian took that chance to fire, the bolt barely grazed her, but did enough to cause searing pain in her side. With a snarl of rage, she aimed the end of her staff at the soldier and sent a swirling ball of fire at the lizard, slamming him clean in the chest and killing the soldier outright, falling backward as one crispy critter.

Kursed gripped the wound on her side and healed it up rapidly as she rejoined the fight. Once more, back to back, Fox and Kursed fought in tandem, without time to reload Fox would scavenge a blaster and fire away, the pair of vulpine moving and dancing with each other in a deadly concert of war. Kursed would attack any who wandered too close or were isolated with an energy blast from her staff's gem while using the shield to keep them both safe. The firefight became extended and the Venomians without the initiative, began to falter, on top of the casualties they sustained, morale was shot, and they began to beat a hasty retreat. Wolf and his goons hot on their heels, leaving Fox and Kursed among the ruins of a destroyed and very much vacant club.

"We need to get out of here Kursed." He whispered, and turned to the vixen, surprisingly calm and lacking any real signs of fatigue, even though his head was thundering.

"That's twice you've saved me, Fox, I won't forget it." She murmured "C'mon, the bike is in the parking lot."

The pair made their way to a gunmetal grey bike, decent sized wheels and a narrow profile for traversing tight spots, the engine was a miniaturized plasma reactor, one that would shunt in case of a breach and thus render it harmless. Fox had ordained to head up front when he was stopped by Kursed's staff. "What do you think you're doing?" The cobalt vixen spoke coolly.

"Driving, what else?"

"You've been concussed, you're in no shape to drive, to the bitch seat with you."

"And you've been shot." He rebutted.

"Really? Do you see any wound on me?"

When he saw there was no physical sign of her ever being hit with a blaster. He grumbled in defeat.

_Blasted Cerinian healing._

With a sigh, he resigned himself to riding bitch, putting on his helmet while she sat up front and slipped her own helmet over her head. Fox wrapped his arms around her waist and lay his chest on her back. Much like she did to him on their way in.

"Comfy much?" Finally, a hint of that playful voice once again. He was glad of it, he had tired quickly of that emotionless tone of hers all night.

"Yea, best seat in Lylat." He shot back, determined to win at least something with her.

"We'll see about that." she retorted, that playful edge in her voice becoming more pronounced. Kursed kicked the bike into gear, moving out of the parking spot and speeding towards the spaceport.

_I swear… she's crazy. Wait shit, she can hear my thoughts!_

Much to his surprise when she didn't say anything, he scrunched his eyes together and thought up more things, some innocent, others quite lewd. Yet no chastisement came.

_She… she can't hear me? What on Papetoon is going on with her?_

Both communicators suddenly crackled to life. "He's not on the planet Fox, I've been looking all over the place this entire time. Oikonny isn't planetside." Fox had nearly forgotten in all the adrenaline-fueled excitement!

"The hell? Then where is he?!"

"Not on Macbeth, that's for sure Fox. The pirates have the whole planet on lockdown after that stunt by Venom. Those ships in orbit don't stand a chance, are you two going to be able to get off world?"

Signs and air whipped by them, with a grunt he shook his head. "Doubt it, Kursed and I will find a place to hunker down for the next few days. Even pirates take things like this seriously. See if maybe we can dig up some info on what the hell happened. Try to find a money trail, you know there will be one."

"Will do Foxy, I'll start doing some work into local networks, contact you tomorrow if I have anything. Katt, out."

With the comms turned off Fox returned to the local frequency. "Setting a nav point Kursed, I know a decent place to sleep." With a bob of her head, the vixen tore down the road and into the night.

**The Jameson Hotel**

The cerulean vixen stood amidst the pouring water, head tilted back and eyes closed. The hot water flowed through her fur coat as it washed the day's events away, a deep sigh of anxiety left her lips as she remembered the events with crystal clarity. The violence, so many dead, how she had become a whirling dervish of death and mayhem. The countless dead soldiers, club goers, and gangers, she was no stranger to killing. What had disturbed her the most was that rush of power she felt. The control of life and death at her fingertips had been intoxicating, she had used her anger and pent-up rage to become an unstoppable beast, and part of her loved that feeling. It was something they were always warned about in training back on Cerinia, power was addicting, and it could drive Cerinians to unspeakable acts. Acts like the very one taken out on her family. Kursed bared her teeth as she cleaned herself with shampoo and soap, she vowed to herself that she would not fall that far into disgrace, though Kursed was already at the bottom. The cerulean vixen still clung to what little honor and decency she had left, even if she walked a fine line on a daily basis. That was far from her prime concern, however, what was her concern, was Fox.

The vixen had seen the handsome todd's body still and lifeless; it was enough to instill in her that she needed to protect him, to keep him safe. She didn't reach this conclusion just for her sake, but for his own, the sense of loss she experienced that led to her snapping and killing so many Venomian troops, she hadn't felt that much rage unleashed since the early days of her career as a hunter. To further compound her issues, she saw the fear in Fox's eyes that he thought she did not notice, he had seen everything, how unhinged she appeared while inflicting terror among those soldiers. The last thing she wanted from Fox though, was his fear, she didn't want him to be scared, not of her. Kursed knew what the medicine did to her, how it made her more aggressive, violent. For the past year, she took it in small doses, nothing like she had been taking in the last week. It had her hormones and mental stability all in a jumble. Even with her mind a whirlwind, the pain she had felt, the ice in her veins, her wrath that had been dispensed out onto those that hurt Fox. Kursed with her staunch mind, could not deny there was a deep seeded emotional attachment to Fox. The cobalt vixen lay against the shower wall, contemplating where to go next.

_He could be gone tomorrow, and there would be nothing I could do, I've chased him all over Lylat, fought him on numerous occasions, yet every time we did, he still took the time to help others. He's survived hell, he's survived me, the question is… can I survive putting my heart in his palms?_

The short answer was yes, the long answer, would likely take her all night to go through. She sighed and took a deep breath.

_I can't do that again, the mere thought of him being dead, the idea that I can't tell him how I feel or what I want… No, I won't let that happen. I refuse to let either of us go to the grave thinking we're unloved._

It was in that phrase, that simple flash of thought as it raced across her synapses, it was a crystal clear epiphany. She loved him. His smile, that brazen brave attitude, the ability to throw himself into danger for others. That old hound dog exemplified it, he was likely a purveyor of drugs and who knows what else; yet still, Fox did not judge the man and thus put his life on the line to save him. It showed that beneath that weary exterior was the hero everyone thought him to be, a man willing to do what it took to do the right thing. To lay his life down for others, it even extended to herself. He had risked his life to come to help her, and with nary a thought to himself, he threw himself into the fray, while wounded no less. It made her cold heart warm at the idea. A smile formed at the corners of her lips at the memories of their time they had been through together over the year. Their first encounters on Corneria, the daring dogfights through Meteo and the tremendous mystical adventure on Sauria. All of these things combined with the various planet hopping madness they had done in her quest to capture the famous Fox McCloud. It all warmed her in a way no one had, not since her days on Cerinia had she known the incredible sensation coursing through her very core.

Her head came back to rest against the wall as that smile broadened, he had obviously forgiven her for hunting him, even gone so far as to confess an attraction to her. Kursed's body tingled in a way she had only ever felt on rare occasions, but it was far more potent in that instance. She wasn't fully aware of what it meant. All she knew, was that her mind and heart began to fall in line with each other. No matter how hard her inner demons railed against it, telling her over and over that she was a fool, that he would never love her like she did him. She took a firm grasp of her own mind and quashed those demons. For Kursed; there was only one course of action, one she would take with the full furor of her heart. With a twist of the shower knob to turn off the water, the vixen reached over to grab a towel off the rack and wrapped it around herself. Stepping out and into the hotel room, she went forward with confidence.

**X-X-X-X**

Fox took in the view of the room he and Kursed had taken up residence in. Sargasso City was full of surprises, for a town that was run by criminal gangs, it did have its decent establishments, ones that adhered to "Who you are, what you do here, doesn't matter, so long as you pay." Many a time Fox wished he could purge the city from the face of Lylat, but he could never get the support from the Cornerian government, their idea was so long as it didn't affect Corneria directly, who cared? Still, cities like this did have their uses, and while many pirates or bounty hunters would like to bring him down. Most would leave you alone in Sargasso City, so long as you didn't start trouble. A sort of neutral territory, those that did stir the pot, often found themselves vanishing or deep-sixed.

The room itself wasn't terribly shabby, two beds that were quite comfortable, a balcony that overlooked the nicer part of the city. The walls and ceiling were done in your typical fashion, nothing that really stood out. A dresser to the side in case of extended stays, a couple of cheap end tables, a TV with all the channels and a fridge stocked full of alcohol. His blue companion was currently in the shower after she had insisted he take one when she was done checking him over. It was an almost absurd juxtapose, she had been a savage vengeful beast back in the club, then, as soon as they were safe, she fretted over him and made sure he was in good health. Even treating his concussion with that strange mystical healing of hers. His thoughts as of late had been mostly centered on Kursed, he found himself wondering if she was far more broken than he imagined, or maybe there was something else at play. His curiosity had gotten the better of him, at first, he eyed her pack, and after a brief internal war, he began to investigate its contents. Never let it be said that Fox was intrusive to anyone's privacy without good reason, worry for his companions well being, certainly counted in his mind. He sifted through her belongings, feminine clothing, extra ammo, nothing that caught his attention until he heard the rattle of what could only be a pill bottle. The todd blinked and withdrew it, big bold letters were printed across a label, spelling out: **Xandorapram**. Fox's eyebrows knit close together as he frowned in confusion, he knew that name from somewhere, but he couldn't remember where specifically.

He stashed the pills away back in the pack, making sure everything was as it had been, and laid it back on her bed before heading out onto the balcony. With a press of a button, Katt's frequency came upon his communicator, the door slightly ajar. The sounds of the city, it's people, vehicles, and nightlife in full swing.

"Sup Foxy!" Came the all too cheery voice of Her Pinkness.

"Hey Katt, sorry to bother you, but I need a bit of info. Do you know anything about a drug called Xandorapram?"

"Xandorapram? Yea, I remember seeing something about it a while ago, here, lemme dig it up."

It was about a minute of waiting before Katt spoke again. "Here we are! Xandorapram, it was created by one of the Phoenix families many businesses in the Pharmaceutical Industry, the medicine was an attempt at a dual anti-anxiety and anti-depressant pill. Overall successful, but there were some pretty extreme side effects, most notably, that it was too strong and made people very robotic, also highly susceptible to suggestion, even in small doses. Some had the exact opposite effect, making them incredibly violent.

"I see, what kind of suggestions are we talking about?"

"The killing kind, the Cornerian Army got caught using this stuff trying to program hyper obedient soldiers, something to do with how it lowered their empathetic levels and made them incredibly aggressive, but easy to manipulate. Of course, the Phoenix name never got attached to it so they couldn't hold them accountable. Pepper used that as an excuse to shit can over half his superior officers and ascend the ranks just before the Lylat Wars."

"That would explain his sudden rise, not that he's a bad guy, opportunistic, but then that's politics."

"Indeed it would, why do you ask?"

"Kursed is on it."

"What?! Fox, be very careful if she's on that medication, that stuff was designed for Lylatians, not Cerinians. Who knows what kind of effect it would have on her."

_I know exactly what kind of effect it has on her. That's why I'm a bit worried for my own safety right now._

Fox's ears perked as he heard the sound of running water cease from within the room. "I gotta go, Katt, Kursed is coming out of the shower."

"Don't lower your guard around her, whatever you do, some of the behavioral patterns ranged from anti-social to total psychotic. She might very well be a ticking time bomb!"

"Got you, Katt, I'll keep on my toes." With a prompt hang up, Fox rested his elbows on the railing, gazing down at the city below. He could hear Kursed's footsteps within the hotel just barely, the din of traffic below almost drowning it out when suddenly, a pair of paws grabbed his shoulders and whirled him around, slamming him painfully against the wall that separated the door from the balcony. Initially, Fox was concerned that Katt's worst fears had been realized, only for that notion to be completely obliterated as a white muzzle crushed to his with such force; that a groan of mild discomfort left him before his mouth was suddenly full of Cerinian tongue. He wasn't sure if he should be terrified, aroused, or a mixture of both. Kursed did not give him much time to think, the way she was kissing him it was like she was trying to stuff his throat with her tongue. Fox attempted to break her hold and fight back, but the surprise in which Kursed had gotten him, coupled with her leverage; the pair became locked in a stalemate, though her actions and behavior made his spine tingle in the best ways as she asserted herself on him. A second jolt brought him around as he felt her tongue press to his own, rubbing the two together in an inexperienced, sloppy, unrefined kiss. To which Fox apprehensively answered, his lips molded to her own as tongue met tongue, her lack of experience was evident, but she more than made up for it with her plentiful thirst. A paw that lay on his shoulder swiftly shot to the back of his head, her paw digging into the thick fur, and balling her first, ensuring that her prize could not escape. A light whimper of discomfort left the todd; however, it only fueled the growing desire as his body began to heat up. Fox had never in his wildest dreams believed he would be in the position he was in now, but with the memories of the night fresh in his mind, the todd hesitated. The kiss suddenly becoming one-sided, an action which earned him an agitated growl while Kursed's aquamarine eyes shot him a fierce gaze as if daring him to deny her.

Fox was unsure of what to do, but given the circumstances, he wasn't exactly in the best position to be saying no, not that he really wanted to. All the dreams he'd had about her, all the thoughts and ideas, the way she was looking at him with such unchained hunger, he decided now was as good a time as any. Although, it was clear she was inexperienced. That did little to dissuade him, if anything, it was something that made it endearing, not something to be chided or admonished, it meant that the two of them would have to learn together, and to him, that was just fine. His apprehension melted away, and the todd met her with tenderness and care, cupping the underside of her tongue with his own, following it up by sliding it along the side and then back under again, coiling it back around to let the two speak to each other in a brand new way. Fox guided her along, and Kursed followed his lead; the pair finding their rhythm together. A soft, passionate moan came forth from her lips. It was a clear indication she appreciated his gentle touch, his strong paws came to rest on her hips while she still held him in that possessive grip, the vixen not shirking away at all, if anything, it pushed her closer until their bodies were conforming to one another, just like in the armory.

Both vulpines felt fires of love and lust begin to consume their very beings, Fox's heart began to pound away in his chest, reciprocated by Kursed's own thunderous rhythm, the thumping of hearts in the middle as they answered a call as old as time itself. With each minute passed, the two lost themselves within each other before their lips parted, both vulpine gasping for air while she nipped along the top of his snout, a gesture of aggression and dominance among canines. Her heated breath caressed his face while her paw slipped between his legs, coming to rest against his manhood through the fabric of his pants. In a flash, Kursed felt an abrupt pang of fear from Fox, no doubt the memories of earlier playing in his head, but instead of sharp pain, her paw began to slowly tease and trace over his package. The vixen doing her utmost to assure him that she meant no harm. It was a promise that the night held far more than just intense snogging; to emphasize it, Kursed uttered a single word past her lips as she nipped him again on the snout. "Mine."

Kursed couldn't help but smile deviantly, nipping at her prize, again and again, peppering him with affection as she watched the famous war hero squirm under her grip. She saw the mild fear of her in his eyes, a part of her found it intensely arousing, that she could intimidate a man as deadly as he, but at the same time; Kursed didn't want his fear, she wanted his heart, his love. Kursed lowered her head down, and under his muzzle, those teeth began to trail rough love bites alongside intermingled licks that dragged through his thick fur coat, an excited rumble of satisfaction as his taste exploded upon her tongue. The cobalt vixen let her tongue tenderly drag through the dense fluff of his neck as she indulged herself in her newest thrill. The vixen's actions garnering a deep shiver followed by a passionate moan of delight from her Fox. In an instinctual response, he tilted his head back to her, putting his vulnerable throat on display. Kursed couldn't believe what she was doing, a year ago, hell, days ago, she would never have thought herself desiring such actions, let alone initiating them. With recent events in her mind, and seeing Fox in such a position, she could not help but press on. The cobalt vixen breathed deeply of his strong scent, taking his throat in between her teeth, and bit down just until the tipping point of where she would break the skin. The vixen left her temporary mark behind as she chewed ever so slightly, pushing the very limits while her tongue traced over what was in her mouth.

Fox was lost in the moment, his mind still racing at the events unfolding before him. He had fantasized about something like this so many times, only he was usually the one on top. Not that he was complaining. Their kiss had been something else, it wasn't the usual fanfare when their lips had connected it was like electricity shot through his entire body and right to his brain. Never had a female ever brought about such a reaction; the very same vixen in question who evoked that response, had her teeth around his most vulnerable spot, those sharp as knives fangs dug in, he could feel the sting of it. They came so very close to breaking the skin, a potent mixture of pleasure and pain before a panic began to set in; Kursed had to know if she did that, what it would mean. Fox found his words, trying to warn her before things went too far.

"K-Kursed!"

The vixen was surprised by the sudden alarm in her todd's voice. She withdrew from his neck still holding him by his head, with one paw as she freed her left one, her soft palm came to rest against the side of his face. "Did I go too far?" she murmured with concern.

"No... no, just, you came close to doing something that we are nowhere near ready for."

Her head canted curiously to the side as she licked his nose. "And what is that?"

"On Papetoon… if you uh… break the skin, that's, well… tantamount to a marriage proposal."

Kursed blinked in surprise, she had no idea how close she came to doing something that would have made Fox uncomfortable, let alone something so life-changing.

So… there are similarities in culture between us.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know."

He smiled at her, rubbing his snout alongside hers and giving their noses a beep together. "Don't feel bad… this is a learning experience for us both, and I didn't say the mood was gone if you still want to continue."

The vixen smiled slyly at him, as only a fox could, bumping her nose back to his with a salacious growl. "Oh, you bet your fine fuzzy ass I want to continue Fox, you belong to me."

That made him blink, and confusion crossed his face. "Uh?"

"Old Cerinian tradition, one I am enacting on you Foxy. I beat you in battle back on Arcturus, and by Cerinian Law, that means your life is mine to do with as I please." Her paw gingerly caressed the side of his face, the todd couldn't help but murmur and lean into it, enjoying the tender contact sifting through his fur. "And what I intend to do with your life Fox? Is to make you mine." He could tell she was deathly serious, a little smirk tugged at his lips, unable to resist teasing his vixen.

"As I recall, you knocked me out after the fight was over." He spoke with a playful grin, not repulsed in the slightest at the idea of being Kursed's lover.

"Still counts." She shot back and nipped him on the end of his nose pad, a hungry purr filling her throat.

Fox felt it was the right time to reveal something to her and took a deep breath. He knew it might blow up in his face, but, if they were going forward, she needed to know. "Wait."

Kursed huffed, narrowing her eyes at him, her impatience was apparent with all these delays.

"What?"

"I... if we're going to do this, I want to tell you what stopped me from offing myself, you remember that conversation right?"

"Fox… this really isn't the time for something that's a downer, if you hadn't noticed."

"Please?" He said with ears wilted back, looking up at her with the most adorable of expressions, almost like a lost puppy.

Fuck, how can someone so damn sexy, simultaneously be cute enough to make my heart melt?! I can't say no to that face.

"Two minutes."

Fox gave a nod of his head, though he was still restrained, he took a deep breath. He was about to expose something not even Peppy knew.

"You remember how I said not even hearing my father berate me, or all the people I knew and loved yelling at me to stop, how it did nothing?"

"Yes." She said quietly, recalling the events that had nearly destroyed their partnership before it had even begun.

"How there was one thing that did?"

"Yes, Fox, the point?" Her impatience was clearly growing, but it would quickly be defused in the utterance of three words that came next.

"It was you." He stated without an utterance of hesitation in his voice. His head turned down, earning a great look at the floor. His body twitched nervously, and his tail came around his legs nervously, tip draped over his feet; the todd looking fearful of what her response might be, but continued on despite his nerves. "Every time I went to squeeze, you would be standing, staring at me with those fierce eyes, looking absolutely hateful that I was being such a coward." He wasn't used to sharing such intimate thoughts with someone else, never really having someone to really lean on, or to share his emotions with. It was something he had struggled with since childhood, further compounded when he had dated Fara. "It hurt me more than anything, and I haven't a clue why."

With a deep breath, he found the courage to finish what he had to say "I know, it sounds insane, it sounds utterly stupid and pathetic, but you're the reason I am still around Kursed. I don't know why I can't explain it. If it weren't for you, I would have been a corpse long ago. That's why I want to know more about you. Why I want to understand you and find out why this strange alien vixen from another world is so rooted in my mind, that she can pull me back from the brink without even being in the same room. It's why I made that stupid bet that nearly destroyed everything."

He expected a slap and their moment to deteriorate just as before. Fox was about to apologize when her paw urged him up to face her; he answered her while his head lifted with apprehension and braced himself for a slap, but to his surprise, he was only greeted by the warmth of her lips embracing his once more. Tongues intertwined together as they resumed their kiss from earlier, soft whines from both of them filled the air as they gave their all into that moment. Fox's heart exploded with joy, even if she didn't fully understand, the fact that things were continuing was a great sign, one that made him drunk with desire.

Kursed was having trouble fathoming the depth of what Fox just confessed, she had no idea what an effect that some dingy exile from Cerinia had on the Hero of Lylat. It was a secret he had kept closely guarded, that was certain, even in her diminished state, the faintest traces of his mind that lit up when he talked about that moment. The irrational fear that she would lash out at him for something like that. In that same second, her confidence was solidified, she had set out from the shower to claim him, but what Fox had just confessed, gave her the resolve to see it all through.

Kursed had been alone for a very long time, in an unforgiving and careless galaxy, she had been hurt, betrayed and led into nearly terrible fates. Her heart by this point was all but shriveled, yet still, she had held onto the last vestiges of love and compassion with all her might. She didn't know why, at least, not until that very moment. The cobalt vixen gave them to the one deserving of them most, a man who had lost everything important to him, whose only real desire, was to be loved. A man who had lived the same story she was living now, she knew, she could be that love and do her utmost to protect him. She would die for him if needed. The pair continued their tongue filled wrestling match which led them back into the apartment. The two foxes nearly tripping over several items before Kursed managed to get Fox in the right position and pushed him over onto the bed. She simultaneously used her legs to leap up with her thighs landing on either side of his head and her needy quim achingly close to his lips. Those strong blue legs kept his arms pinned to the bed. Fox's eyes were lit with questions, but they could wait, for tonight, she would lay claim to the Hero of Lylat, her hero, her Fox. Kursed answered his questioning eyes with an obvious thirst, her paws coming to rest behind his adorable triangular ears, gingerly they scratched behind them which caused Fox to let out a happy little growl that reverberated against her sex, making her gasp with delight.

The cerulean vixen gripped his head fur and pulled him in, shoving his snout between her legs and right up against her quivering mound that dribbled her slick feminine arousal. "Put that tongue to work Fox, show me it's good for something other than talk." Kursed knew damn well it was very good at other things, but she was in her moment, her thirst had overridden all her senses, her very body demanded his obedience, that voice which had been a void only an hour ago was laden with unrestrained desire and aggression. Yet Fox could pick up the clear tones of affection and love just beneath. "Don't you dare slack either, or it's your arse."

Fox's world was a beautiful blue and white with the overpowering scent of aroused vixen in front of that sensitive nose, his mouth watered as he licked his lips before swallowing a mouthful of saliva. He gazed up at her with those rich emerald hues, full of nerves that were swiftly replaced with an all-consuming hunger, a burning want to prove himself to his lover. Without another word, he dove in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Muahahaha, behold, the tease! Initially, I was going to have it all be one massive chapter, but I split it up. The next chapter will be coming along soon. So don't worry! It'll probably be right after the next Eternity Awaits update. I'm also working on WWC in the background, so don't worry about that! If people have questions as to why Kursed is all over the place in this chapter, well, speaking from experience with Anti-Anxiety medication, those adjustment periods are HELL. Everyone is different, your mood goes all over the place and if you stay off it for some time and then go back on it; the same thing starts all over again. Now, picture a telepath with alien physiology that Lylatians don't truly understand and brain chemistry they can't even begin to fathom. A medicine that was designed for Lylatians/Cornerians, and well, this is the result. Fun ain't it?


	7. Chapter 7

Kursed uttered a sigh of delight as her back bowed and ample chest pressed out into the air. She had placed her right paw on the headboard while her left balled within Fox's soft cream colored fluff between his ears and clenched firmly. The power of intense blis coursed through her as it originated deep from within her wanting sex that burst and spread to the very tips of her fingers and toes; both of which flexed and curling as the concentration of pleasure flowed from betwixt her legs. The divine tongue of her lover lambasted over her lower lips again and again and caused her mind to become a swirl of emotions and jumbled thoughts. Kursed had long since melted into a puddle of bliss filled hunger as her head had tilted back with mouth agape in a silent cry of exultation, those alluring eyes were hidden away with ears flat against her head. Occasionally Fox would mix up his attentions with a rub of his cold nose against her warm petals, the juxtapose of hot and cold making her tail puff out in delight from the sudden shift in texture and temperature. That thick fluff of a tail jumped with each bump of his nose against her button that caused those hips to drive forwards into the male's snout. Kursed had begun to ride with such force that Fox was sure she was trying to force his very muzzle inside.

Their day had been one of trials and violence, but the end seemed to all but make up for it as the pair of vulpine gave into their baser instincts. In response to her flames rapt affection Kursed wrapped her muscular athletic thighs around that handsome vulpines head and urged him deeper with an all consuming desire for his fervent diligence. The azure vixen had persuaded herself that the strong male below was an honest to gods miracle with how amazing she felt at that very moment. Every single caress stoked a raging inferno inside her, one that desperately needed to be quenched that combined with the sensations of pain and pleasure were a thrill for her and were only furthered by the most tender of bites on either side that were swiftly chased by his tongue all along her folds. The sheer intensity made her mind hazy with undeniable thirst that had become unleashed. That very same desire displayed for her paramour by the undulation of her hips as she rode that males snout up and down. In the pit of her stomach Kursed felt a wildfire spreading all throughout her body with an intensity that made her feel as though her entire being would be destroyed from the attention Fox lavished upon her.

_Gods… I never imagined!_

As Kursed rode upon Fox's face her long cerulean locks came to rest on either side of McCloud's head as she leaned forward. Narrowing his view of the beautiful vixen atop him. Her hips twisted left and right, rolling to and fro with those potent aquamarine eyes ignited with wanton lust. One that she readily displayed to Fox as his own emerald hues returned her erotic gaze. She saw… no, felt the hunger from his gaze. Kursed didn't need her telepathy to enhance or experience the raw power behind those lovely irises. It was there, radiating off off him like the all consuming fireball growing within her. She hoped beyond anything else that his ever-growing thirst would devour them both. Never had Kursed felt so desired, so wanted, the power of endorphins made for a potent cocktail as it combined with the control she seemingly had over Fox combined with the sense of power and sensuality had her riding a forcible high. Kursed, one of the most notorious bounty hunters in the known systems had the Hero of Lylat on his back, arms pinned and tongue devouring her flower as though he were dying of thirst. His actions and ardor drove her ego to heights she never knew existed. Kursed was riding through the stratosphere on a power trip, her assertive nature took control of their rhythm and began guiding her tod right where her need was greatest. She let him savor and relish in it, her scent, the very flavor of her femininity. Kursed knew even in her lust-addled state that she needed more and No one living or dead, god or mortal, would stop her from claiming what she wanted most. However, she would not give herself so freely. Though Fox was a potent warrior in his own right, he had to do more than prove he was capable of fighting or giving into his lusts for her. He had to earn that right to be her lover. Thus far, he had been doing one hell of a good job in her mind. The term silver-tongued came to mind that made her smirk in lust addled gratification before a sudden jolt of fulfillment ran up her spine from a rather particular elongated lick that traced from the very base of her blossom, and ended with a flick at the very top. His tender affections earned her paramour a lengthy trembling moan of approval.

The incredible shock slowly died away which allowed the Cerinian to finally find her voice as she held still. Her blue topped fist still balled in the soft fuzz atop his noble head and spoke with a voice filled with authority, dominance, hunger, and want. It was clear Kursed would not tolerate rebellion from her mate. "If you promise to be a good boy, I'll let your arms up." It was truly amazing to the vixen; she was utterly blind when it came to matters of an ardent nature. But so far, she had been running on instinct alone and had seemed to hit her stride. The vixen in question had fooled with toys in the past and watched plenty of holovids on the matters so she was far from innocent or naive about physical needs. Many a night she spent trying to sate those urgent wants. The significant difference in her current predicament was that it had been just herself and now; she had to think of someone else's needs. That prospect was simultaneously electrifying and worrisome. In the end, she had started it all and was determined to see it through no matter the level of apprehension.

Meanwhile, down below Fox gazed up at the blue vixen who sat atop him and rocked those generous hips back and forth as the delectable essence of her folds tasted surprisingly sweet with a dash of salt indicating a substantial amount of meat in her diet, it was a mixture that Fox happily drank to his hearts content. All the while he gazed up into her stunning gems and gauged her body language. With how distracted she was it made Fox wonder if he could topple her, though he had no desire to. The position he was in combined with her words and the potency left him under her thumb… for now. With that in mind, Fox gave a simple nod to Kursed, capping off their agreement with a tender kiss to her button once more and drew a tremor of delight from on high.

Kursed felt contentment flutter through her body and fulfilled her end of the bargain. She gently let his arms up from beneath her knees and was quickly caught off guard with the speed that only McCloud was known for. Both of his paws shot to her backside and dug those deadly claws in which caused a fantastic explosion of delicious pain and gratification throughout her shaking form. A loud yell of primal lust was his answer while her hips jammed forward into his snout.

Fox's hunger knew no bounds and it showed as his claws found purchase in that shapely malleable rump. He rolled that rear like fine dough as the flesh bunched up between his fingers. A thick sea of blue gave way to white along the inner curves of her shapely rear was more than enough to make Fox give into his passion and truly began to feast like a thirsting beast. The heroic tod rained firm passionate bites down on each side of her mons while his tongue scooped up her sweet sap and swallowed it with vibrant hunger. Fox had not known such naked lust in years and every aspect of it was directed at the alien vixen who sat upon his face while he lapped through her well tamed bush of blue and white fur that surrounded her feminine petals.

Above him, Kursed was clearly beside herself in his assault as her voice passed her lips; the power in her voice denoted the passion with which she called his name made Fox swell with pride... along with other parts of his anatomy. He relished the sensation of how her fist would tug and pull at his luxurious mane of cream fur atop his head while her nethers would quiver at his touch and seep that delectable sweetness upon his tongue. Fox was no master of the carnal arts, not by any stretch of the imagination; however, he made up for it with that vibrant energy so many young men carried combined with experiences through the years.

With Fox attacking her so vividly, Kursed's mind was reeling from the blazing passion and inferno within that was spiraling out of control and caused her to scream internally to not give in so soon. The vixen had been teetering on a mind-blowing climax for some time, one which Fox was driving her towards with every sing sinful flick of that amazing tongue. The alien vixen wanted to stave off her release for as long as possible while Fox unleashed his primal nature upon her and nearly drove her screaming mad with pleasure with his next action. It started off slow and built up into a crescendo of noise as it echoed through her folds and vibrated like a certain toy she may have used to pleasure herself. The audible snarl tore through her body and put her at the tip of a knife and it garnered only reaction she could make.

Kursed used her potent grip to dig her claws into his skull and shoved him hard she pulled at his fur firmly and with a voice that could make a Cornerian marine quake in their boots and barked an order at mate. "Do that again!"

Fox's ears perked upon her yelling that order and found himself being yanked deeper into the valley between the alien vixen's legs and once more was where it all began; a world awash in a sea of blue and white with the pungent scent of aroused female permeating his nose which had caused his pants to be long since uncomfortable. Kurseds rough edges had pressed all the right buttons that left him wanting more as it was rare for Fox to have a partner so commanding and controlling, and while he was no submissive; he did relish a woman who could take charge. Fox reflected on that as her succulent flavor once more exploded across his tongue while she egged him with their shared lust in full swing. It was obvious she wanted it as much as he did and their desires had grown beyond just simple physical companionship. Their lives had taken on whole different aspects in the past week; their initial interactions were the farthest they had been from the forefront of his mind in some time. What had started out as hunter versus the hunted evolved into something more. Both vulpines tested each other in every field of combat; space, hand to hand, even gun battles. She was beautiful beyond compare but more than that; Fox saw in her a mirror of his own life. Kursed was alone, isolated, and so filled with anger at everyone and everything combined with her beauty made for an intoxicating attraction that she seemed to share.

Those very thoughts provoked Fox's protective nature and spurred a drive to protect her; but more so it began to inflate the desire to love her. What had started off as an almost schoolyard infatuation had escalated into something greater. Fox judged by her reactions to his touch and devotion to the task at hand that it had been a long time coming and evident it was something they both craved. With all of it laid out bare for him Fox reasoned to give his all to Kursed. Unconditionally would he cherish her even if it meant doing so from afar after what could potentially be a one night stand. He cared for her and had for some time and it only took her shoving that delicate tongue down his throat to finally get him to act.

The events that were unfolding could be misconstrued as a pity fuck, but that was farther from the truth than it ever could be. It was raw animalistic passion and desire; a want for someone to confide in and be vulnerable; a desire to trust at least one individual with his deepest secrets. The pair had revealed much to each other in a short time, and though they had hurt the other in recent events; it mattered little to either vulpine. They were there, together, and very much alone with each other, if Fox weren't so busy driving Kursed crazy, he would have reflected that there was something poetic about two lost souls among the stars embracing one another to try to and ease their pain even if it was only for one night. If it was a one-off, Fox promised to make it the best night Kursed and himself would remember for a good long time.

As his inner reflections shifted to the back of his mind, Fox deftly continued his advance while Kursed cried out above with his tongue drank deeply of her bountiful arousal. All the while his name parted from her lips repeatedly. It was as though the most beautiful music graced his ears, a rich melodious sophisticated accent that pleasured his ears every time she spoke. Fox eagerly ate his fill while both paws were full of Cerinian rump. There was one thing nagging at him however; he wanted more, more than just sex or the touch of a woman. He desired love, the one thing he hungered for most. A great gaping hole that had been left in his chest for years as he sought something, anything to help fill the void left behind when he and Fara parted. The consistent emptiness he felt had worn him down through the years and leaf him bereft of real emotion or a desire to trust and love again. Which is what made their moment all the more important for them. Though Fox was almost lost in his lust-addled state, he could feel his instincts telling him that this beautiful alien vulpine could give that to him. It whispered that he need only be patient with her and return that care a thousandfold. How it knew, Fox did not ask, nor did he really care. Thus far in his life they had not steered him wrong.

For the moment though, Fox was far more absorbed in visiting his skill as a lover upon Kursed. Long flexible strokes of his tongue combined with the bite of claws that were kneading her rump drove the inexperienced female insane. Her muscles clamped around his tongue, squeezing and milking it as though it were his manhood. All the while he lapped at the outermost reaches of her tender folds. He growled and snarled as she demanded and sent those vibrations deep within that finally proved to be her undoing.

_Oh, sweet gods!_

Those ripples traveled far into her passage and in response Kursed grabbed ahold of Fox's head and let out a sharp yell of felicity that no doubt alerted other patrons in nearby rooms as to what was going on. Kursed had not a single care in the world at that moment as the vixen ascended to cloud nine. The cerulean vixen had assured herself that death had come for her and she had gone to paradise. Thrills that were hitherto unexplored sped throughout her body as her impressive muscles simultaneously spasmed and contracted in response while her raw want filled her mate's maw. The lewd sound of him swallowing her nectar only served to heighten her bliss while her lower jaw dangled open in a silent yell that became a sharp whine of euphoria. Kurseds aquamarine eyes were normally dull and empty, but now? They were alight with passion and life that had long since been chased away, Fox revivified her and had her experiencing such a climactic that she collapsed forward and had to latch onto the headboard with a death grip lest she fall from that very world. The ample swells of her chest rose and fell with labored breaths coupled with a bright beaming smile that spread across her lips.

From below Fox watched her reactions and was caught off guard by Kursed's powerful release as he witnessed her body clench and relax in a series of body quaking contractions. The male vulpine decided to not disturb her quite yet and let Kursed bask in her endorphin riddled state while he finished cleaning her down below. Fox tenderly groomed her folds and simultaneously extended her pleasure and drank his fill of her feminine release. His chest and snout were matted with the woman's scent and left Fox grinning once more ear to ear as their combined aroma lay heavy on the air. Her rather explosive climax had left him very much doused in the vixen's scent and had left Fox with very little doubt that by the end of the night, she would be wearing his scent as well. The orange reynard's eyes lazily trailed up her exquisite body, his emerald irises drinking in every contour and curve of her exotic appearance. To his surprise and no small amount of pleasure; she seemed to recover quickly from her sexual high when she began to slide her body down along his which left behind a trail of her desire in the vixens wake. Kursed bore a wide pleased smirk across her snout at her handiwork, having effectively marked her territory. Females and males alike would pick up her aroma and know he was claimed.

However, her pride was short lived as a sudden bout of embarrassment shot across her features. She became acutely aware of Fox's eyes tracing her form with wanton hunger and desire, but behind it, she saw admiration and a growing deep affection. The way he smiled at her with his matted snout warmed her heart in ways she never previously would have conceived. Even with her telepathy hindered she could feel a tingle in her mind as his adoration of her came off of her Fox in waves. It was a testament to the power of his want for her. In the blink of an eye Kursed felt herself descend from the pedestal of prowling hunter; to being vulnerable and self-conscious prey. His stares earlier had not affected her, but now things were going on beyond domination and control. She had initiated all of it and rode his snout and tongue to climax and with the the main event of the night looming, Kursed felt herself growing cold feet. She felt the sudden brush of his impressive member through the denim of his pants, and it made her intensely nervous. Not only that, but he was getting an eyeful of her naked body which was something no one else could boast. She had no pride in her beauty, not a shred of will to show off and strut. It had been among the things farthest from her mind in the years she had been abroad in space; Kursed held all the confidence of a warrior but none of a lover or woman in her prime despite her actions and radiant beauty. She had been fueled by animalistic tendencies, and now faced with the reality she was about to give herself to someone physically; and quite possibly emotionally. It made her fearful, worried and very much afraid. The vixen felt doubt crawling forth into her mind, that she was not good enough for him, that she was just some vagrant clinging to a great man. By that point; any and all certainty had taken a shot to the head. Her left arm suddenly came about to cover her breasts while her grand tail draped over her midsection. The dense piece of fluff covered old scars and wounds. She had felt magnificent and desirable seconds ago but now that sensation had all but vanished as the vixen felt less than appealing. Her head turned to the side in shame ears laid back with whiskers down and tail coiled protectively around her midsection.

The sudden change in front of his eyes caught Fox entirely by surprise, her entire demeanor went from hunger to sheer fright. Fox had been face deep in Cerinian thighs and with the way she behaved had him believing she had some knowledge of what was going on. But now, with her sudden shift in demeanor. It became quite clear that she had not done this before. The gravity of the situation was evident as reflected on his surprised features.

_I can't believe it, there's just no way that I am her first... she's beyond beautiful, I can't even think of a word that compares to how gorgeous she is._

With the knowledge firmly in hand, Fox shook his head and committed to the moment and knew he had to tread lightly with Kursed. To let her know he adored her not as eye candy, but that he saw her as someone who he wanted to be close with. Someone that he cherished beyond just a fuckbuddy. The next few moments were utterly crucial not for him, but for her. He did not want her to feel pressured or pushed into something she would regret. Fox was not that kind of man. If it was to be a truly mutual and blissful experience; comfort, trust and reciprocated want needed to all hold true. One of the three had been established but it stood upon a knife's edge and one mistake could ruin her first sexual experience with a lover. Fox became adamant that he would not let that happen, not to the vixen who had enraptured his mind and heart. His first thoughts were to reach out and try to console her, but Fox knew he had to handle it delicately. Kursed was broken much like himself and it did not take a great deal to be pushed into a swirling storm of negativity. His thoughts trailed back to what transpired in at the safe house and did not want that to happen, not when they had made much progress in so short a time. What had begun in that hotel room was a milestone for them both and for good or ill, Fox was committed to his next course. He could not understand why she would be so ashamed of a colorful and successful history, let alone her body being easily the most amazing he had ever laid eyes upon. Her appearance was beyond compare; her form rife with feminine curves while laden with strong muscles. Kursed clearly took care of herself and it showed. Fox resolutely lifted himself up from his back and let his head come to rest slightly beneath hers from their respective positions. A tender paw was brought forth to rest over her densely furred tail and gingerly sift through the fur with his digits, the touch feather light with an obvious intent to comfort her. McCloud's left gingerly cupped her chin to turn the deadly bounty hunter to face him. Apprehensively, she answered but the eyes that greeted him were full of worry and shame. A far cry from the hungry and lustful eyes from before. It was easy for him to spot that change and impossible to miss it with it staring him clear in the face. Fox,in turn, met her with warmth and fondness. His lips parted as his voice uttered the next words that would warm her to the very core. Or so he hoped.

"You don't have to hide anything from me Kursed, in my eyes, you're perfect."

Fox watched as Kursed's eyes went wide, irises narrowed and ears cupped forward. Her tail tip gently batting against the side of her stomach while she swallowed nervously. She never thought someone would say such sweet things to her, let alone so full of sincerity that was crystal clear in his tone. The vixen had hope in her eyes and yet still held that look of nerve-filled exposure. "You… You like them?" She spoke, anticipation and anxiety easily discerned within the tone of her voice.

He gently peeled that gorgeous tail away with the same paw, sifting through the supple fluff to touch along her stomach. The long scar from where the Sharpclaw had opened her belly with a vicious sword; above it were several scars from bullet wounds and further up a patch of fur that had healed over what appeared to be a mark left from some sort of stabbing. She was every inch the huntress he thought her to be; a survivor, a fighter, just like him. Kursed was the kind of woman he desired above all else, someone who could compliment him in every regard, and yet, she was showing intense vulnerability like any other mammal.

Without missing a beat he replied, that voice gentle, earnest and genuine. "I adore them." His eyes were alight with nothing but honesty and care for his female. He had seen her scars in brief passing when they were semi-exposed from her gym outfit during their sparring match, that was as much as he got to see until now. Fox knew he was being graced with seeing her up close and utterly exposed in a way he doubted anyone else had. The alien vixen before him was an icy, calculating killer, a hunter of people. It was unlikely anyone had ever been this close to her and a sense of honor filled him that she had chosen him. Pride and ego began to swell within but he quickly silenced and secured it in place. Fox watched on as Kursed's visage reverted from one of worry and fear to base primal hunger that had started it all.

Relief and comfort poured through Kursed, the way he had spoken put her dread to rest and sparked her desire anew. The honesty upon his noble features, those bright, beautiful eyes never once shying away from her own. Kursed knew in that that moment she had nothing to fear from him. She could trust him with her most well-kept secrets and Fox would never divulge them to anyone. Her heart began to thunder once again with misplaced shame and apprehension melting away. Both were replaced by a burning desire to prove herself to Fox that she was worth his time, and she damn well intended to do so and then some. Swiftly, an idea steeped in eroticism filled her mind. With a lick of her lips, she put the plan into action.

Slowly she rose up to her knees and issued a single command. "Stay." That single phrase was uttered with but a lone paw pad pressed to his nose.

Fox nodded his head in obedience but not before he gave a kiss to that same paw pad and watched on as Kursed stood and made her way to the balcony where they had engaged in their passionate lip-lock not too long ago. Each drape was drawn into her paws only to promptly be closed. The lights outside barely able to peek through the curtains. Fox watched on with curiosity and wondered what she was up to. His answer came as she returned to the bed with her abundant breasts and curvaceous hips swaying side to side. The vixen sauntered over in what most would call an exaggerated fashion, but with Kursed it was almost a natural fit even if she stumbled once or twice, apparently not being used to walking in such a manner. She looked sheepish when regaining her footing and looking to Fox who reassured her with his glowing smile that obliterated her resurfacing apprehension. With confidence intact, she climbed back onto the bed and crawled towards him like a stalking predator on all fours until her paws were on either side of his head. Her hunger filled visage gazing deep into his own.

"Close your eyes." She instructed him, voice full of mirth and a sly smile upon her snout. Kursed expected obedience and Fox was not one to disappoint.

Fox, of course obeyed, his eyes closing with his ears perked at the sound of a flick of the nearby light switch. The view beyond his lids vanished which left the pair immersed in darkness. For many, the darkness was a place of fear, a thing to run away from. For the two vulpines, it was a moment of intimacy that heightened their senses and became that much more romantic in its own primal way.

Steeped in the dark with Kursed atop his lap, his every sense became that much stronger which made him jump slightly as her paws were suddenly interlaced with his. The soft loving touch of their pads brushing together was enhanced as her cold nose and warm snout began to trail through his fur while tender licks traversed across his features. The sensations intensified several fold by the sensory deprivation.

Several minutes passed filled with intermingled grinds and bumps of their bodies in the dark, both vulpines raining tenderness upon the other until Kursed abruptly sat up. Her paws guided Fox's own and placed them upon her chest, squeezing them against gentle swell of her ample breasts before unlacing their fingers. Her voice was soft spoken, barely an octave above a whisper and yet it dripped with volumes of passion as she spoke to him in that rich melodious foreign accent. "You should get to know the new terrain better Fox, wouldn't want you to miss."

With a throaty chuckle, Fox could only grin at her words. Even with her lack of experience, Kursed seemed to know a great deal about how to elicit the reactions she desired from him. He answered her challenge with zeal as both paws alternated between squeezes, and rough kneads of those bountiful swells upon her chest. Tender but skilled thumbs flicked sharply across the soft pink of her nipples in the darkness. The males actions earned him words of desire and encouragement right into his ear. It was not long after his touch began to explore his azure vixens form with claws trailing over her body and began to paint a perfect map of her in his mind, committing it all to memory. In his mind's eye, she was finely sculpted, marvelous beyond compare to any woman he had ever seen or felt. Her muscles were exquisite, well trained and honed from a rough life of survival and a warriors upbringing. Her fur belied her strength, soft, wonderfully silky and immaculate to the touch. If he had anything to equate her to, she was the ancient Papetoonian goddess of love made manifest, and she was all his.

Kursed was beside herself as she quaked in excitement from his touch. That handsome males name upon her lips while she let him familiarize himself with his new territory. She savored every caress and bite of his claws while her rear pushed back into his throbbing manhood. All that separated them from their heavenly union was a thin piece of fabric; and by that point Kursed's patience long gone. Just as Fox's senses had become greater, so had hers. McCloud's every touch set her body alight in the dark, her senses ablaze from the sounds and scents of their vivid passion. Kursed had enough of waiting as she reached down to pull at the hem of his pants, undoing the button and dragging them down carefully. She was leery of pulling the fabric down while being mindful of his tail. With claws extended she grabbed ahold of Fox's shirt and shredded the fabric, exposing Fox's chest to the open air while running her paws through his thick chest fluff. His potent masculine aroma filled the hotel room with its rich scent that only served to tantalize her nose. Just as he had explored her body, she in turn, began to explore him. The striking feel of her lover's muscles coupled with the forest of downy fur felt exquisite to her. Much like Fox, she dedicated a small part of her memories to their moment and proceeded forward with her plan.

"Open your eyes." Once more her voice danced out onto the air laden with lust and want. All of it directed at him.

Fox's eyes opened slowly as his natural night vision easily let him see into the dark. Those eyes were greeted by the gorgeous white furred features of Kursed smiling down at him. Lust was clearly written on her face with those spectacular turquoise eyes half-lidded and glistening. Her large tail swayed behind languidly with an obvious craving. All the signs were there that she was ready. Kursed's outline was highlighted by the dim lights that shone past the curtains of the city outside, making his magical space vixen appear that much more ethereal. Fox made certain to never lose that image so long as he lived. He had thought her a goddess previously, but now she looked the part with the rays of light hitting her body perfectly. It was strange, not all of it could have been the light or his vision. It was a warm glow, one that seemed to radiate off of her. A strong welcoming radiance, one that seemed to urge him forward into the comfort of his mate. That desire was only heightened as the tod's instincts whispered to him that she was his; tht the pair of them were meant to be. His mind came to an abrupt halt when her paws laid flat against his chest while kneading those sharp pectorals and simultaneously Kursed eased her feminine mound back against his rigid tool. A sharp intake of breath was the answer as those lips burned with need, soaking Fox's shaft with her desire.

While Kursed was excited, she was also mildly apprehensive. Her head turned back to stare at that impressive piece of meat, ensuring her aim was right. She was surprised to see that Katt had not been completely exaggerating. Fox was quite well gifted for his species; coupled with the fact this was her first time with a male; Kursed was intimidated, to say the least. Nothing her mother ever described prepared her for this. However, the Cerinian vixen did not want to worry her Lylatian lover, she was ready. The male beneath her had the goods, and her body would not be denied what it wanted most. With a deep breath of finality, Kursed eased his tip between her soft, moist petals which brought the world to a crawl as her pulse pounded in her head. An intense shiver coursed through her as that massive tool felt scorching to the touch and even more so against her aching nethers. Slowly her head turned forward to gaze at her lover with his paws at rest upon her hips. Mild concern was evident in his eyes.

Fox saw that look, and his mind began to wonder if they should stop. He was familiar with that expression. It was the look of someone who had not done something of this nature, and his size had caught them by surprise. He was by no means massive, but nor was he small or average. It was obvious she was scared. Fox wanted to say something but was cut short when a searing wet heat engulfed the head of his shaft. In response to the sudden swallowing of his member, he dug those pointed tips of his claws into Kursed's lush backside once more. The male had to use all his willpower not to bury himself inside with how intense it was for him.

In response, Kursed grit her teeth in no small amount of discomfort. No amount of pleasuring herself had prepared her for the real thing. It was only the tip, and yet it stretched her in a wonderfully decadent if painful way. Those razor sharp claws bit into Fox's powerful chest and dug in hard as she took him slowly. Inch by inch he filled her rippling passage while those same inner walls massaged him in response to that wondrous shafts presence. Each time she convulsed, a spike of pleasure intermixed with her discomfort and yet it was invigorating to the vixen. After what felt like an age, Kursed finally hit a stage where she could no longer proceed and held there. A slight sense of unease filled her mind followed by compelling determination.

With Kursed's sudden hesitation, Fox once more wanted to say something. Concern easily noticeable in his eyes. Kursed hurriedly decided whether in a moment of recklessness or wanton desire to drive herself down forcefully in an attempt to keep Fox from stopping her. Her actions caused a vicious acute pain to shoot through her as she felt something give way. It hurt like hell and her cry of pain exclaimed as much.

Fox's response was to instantly wrap her in his arms as she fell forward and lay her head at rest upon his chest and he began to bathe Kursed in soothing licks to try his utmost to comfort his companion who had just done something incredibly stupid and hurt herself in the process.

Kursed loosed a single tear from the burning pain down below, her lover's arms wrapped around her form and tongue bathing through her facial fur.

Fox knew it hurt. The male was far from a womanizer, but he was still a man and had been with a couple of females as their first lover. With a member of his size, it made it difficult sometimes. He continued his attentions to comfort her to the best of his ability, helping her through the pain. Never in a million years had he expected her to be a virgin. It was both a surprise and honor that she had given something so precious to him.

"Kursed, That was a really- Mmmph!" He didn't even get to chastise her as a paw shot up and wrapped around his snout to snap shut his jaws to silence him.

As Kursed held his maw closed, she lay still upon his chest. The vixen slowly regained her senses while the searing pain died away, leaving behind only a dull ache. In its place, it left her with a delightfully full feeling. It was a unique sensation, one that Kursed was attempting to grapple with. It was the fact she could sense his heartbeat through that thick pulsating rod of flesh, or her mind could be playing tricks in her lust fueled state. Not that she cared, the sense of connection to him was grand and encompassing; for in that moment two bodies had become one in a dance as old as time itself. No male had ever caught her eye like Fox did, certainly not to drive her to do something that was intensely unlike her. It was incredibly irrational, impulsive and it felt amazing. The whole experience was new and different, something she had never had the pleasure enduring in her life. The sensations roiling up inside her helped to slowly dull the pain. After a long grueling silence, Kursed sat up and prevented Fox from saying a word as she planted a sweet swift kiss on his lips. It was a brief moment that allowed her to lift herself up and sit back fully upon the males throbbing shaft and felt his warm heavy balls press up against the supple curvature of her ass. Kursed felt a strange sense of being whole. It was as though Fox completed her and he were made specifically for her. How his member slid inside and touched all the right places without even moving. That same train of thought brought a vivid moment of clarity to her mind. She remembered her friends back on Cerinia, talking about how sex was the most amazing thing ever, some of them gloated on how many people they slept with while others gushed about their prospective mates. She had even asked her mother about such things. Cerinia being a more "liberated" society, her mother had spoken to her that while intimacy was immensely fun and enjoyable, it was even better with someone you cared for. Especially a person that you loved.

Kursed had always struggled with what her mother meant; but with current circumstances, she quickly understood what the matronly vixen had been saying. She knew it would not have felt like this with anyone else but Fox. The emotions that were running between them, the genuine smiles of adoration they traded with one another. How he caressed her with his paws and paid every deliberation to her wants and needs just as she did his. The azure female settled in as a wild grin crossed her face and leaned forward, slowly she began to lift herself up until half of Fox's throbbing member remained within before a deep sigh of satisfaction parted from her throat as she hovered there and gazed down at her reynard.

Fox noted that immense change in her demeanor once more, Kursed had shifted back into being the predator again, hungry and wanting it all. He watched as she inclined herself forward to nibble and bite upon his snout, rumbling passionately within her throat as she took hold of his paws and placed them on her rear. Kursed whispered in such a sinful voice that could have made angels weep. "Better hold on Foxy… it's going to be a wild ride." Kursed smirked to herself, she liked that nickname. Foxy, it fit him so well. The term was cute, endearing and adorable, just like him. Even with that affectionate term in mind, her voice was steeped in primal hunger. She had made her intentions very clear with exquisite muscle control, squeezing him firmly within and earning her a moan of bliss from below.

Up above, Kursed's chest rose as she took in a shaky breath as her paws lay at rest upon Fox's pectorals and began to lower herself until her Foxy was nestled firmly within the confines of her walls. This go around, she felt nothing but a great voracity that drowned out the last vestiges of the earlier ache. The azure vixen listened to her primal mind and began to ride him lazily at first as she was still adjusting to his girth. Up and down her body went as her inner walls stretched deliciously to accommodate and adapt to her Foxy's size. Kursed relished it, the feel of him within her very being. The pair were sharing a connection that felt deeper than anything she had experienced with another soul. The only thing she could equate it to was a full telepathic bond, an immensely intimate ceremony on Cerinia, which often involved acts such as the one they were engaged in. Bit by bit her pulse quickened while the Cerinian female was lost in pleasure and the speed of their momentum began to increase.

Fox watched on as his lover took him to the very hilt, his concerns still there but were swiftly pushed to the back of his mind. Her casual rhythm had fallen away, but now his paws were at work. The male traced his claws over her elegant frame as they moved in a sensual dance of fur and flesh. Fox relished the sting of pain intermix with Kursed's want as her claws bit eep into his chest muscles while her rump came to land upon his lap each time she descended upon him. The two fumbled at first, trying to establish a tempo as Kursed's inexperience almost made it comical; but those ancient instincts that no amount of society could ever remove took root. Soon, the two vulpines had the right of it and were moving in tandem. Every time she fell, Fox would buck his hips and bury himself within the warmth of her body, as she would rise, her walls would clench down upon him and drag the whole way up, only to repeat the same movement on the way down; intensifying their shared pleasure by several orders of magnitude. When Kursed ascended, Fox drew his hips backward, leaving his lover feeling somewhat empty and craving that full sensation back. One she readily reclaimed as the vixen descended once more upon her mate's gloriously thick shaft.

The two fed off each other in their carnal fueled state, the speed ever increasing as they hit their stride. The force of their lovemaking (if it could be called that.) had the headboard smashing into the wall. The two locked eyes and never let their vision wander far as she drove down on him with ever-increasing force. His very tip pushed against the inner gates of her body and while it did sting, it was a pain she relished as it sustained their lust and blooming passion for one another. That her Foxy was so well endowed was just icing on the cake with how athletic a male and how strong and dutiful he had been to her through the night. He did not judge her for who and what she was. He had made his mistakes in life and atoned for them as best he could. Her own road to redemption had begun with him forgiving her for hunting him. A massive contrast to their relationship prior. Now? The two were intimate beyond anything she had ever expected, as emphasized when she grabbed onto the headboard and used the power within her lower body to really drive home the point that Fox belonged to her. That he was her territory. No other female would ever touch him so long as she lived. Kursed drove with all the might in the very core of her body causing the bed to creak in complaint and the headboard to hit that wall with increasing force.

Fox was in awe, lost in a world of rapture as he watched Kursed's body move up and down. His eyes drank in her curves and muscles that would roll perfectly with his own body as the pair moved together. Her perky chest bounced with their movements, and he could only admire her bountiful form while his tail lifted up to brush along hers. His cerulean vixen met him in kind as orange and blue intermingled together as one. The pleasure of those soft appendages touching together added kindling to the raging inferno between them. Kursed was all smiles between deep breathy pants of lust-fueled longing and all the while his claws held onto her rear just as she instructed with their pace becoming borderline breakneck. The savagery of their dance drove the two towards a peak that they both wished desperately to achieve as one.

Though once again it seemed fate had decided to play a cruel trick upon both vulpines as the two sets of ears swiveled towards the door that was being rudely hammered. An agitated voice yelling at them from beyond.

"Hey! You two fuckers! Keep it down in there! Some of us are trying to sleep!"

Fox almost laughed at the choice of words, but Kursed beat him to a response as she drove down on his hips and ground that tip deep against her inner gate. A snarl of mixed bliss and pain emitted from her throat as she barked in anger at the one who disturbed them.

"Interrupt us again you little fucker! I dare you! Because I will come out there and rip your pathetic little dick off and ram it up your own arse!" Her voice was deadly serious and rife with threat. The individual at the door seemed persistent or perhaps he was not quite the brightest bulb. Whoever it was barked further obscenities at the amorous pair. With a snarl of irritation, Kursed looked down at Fox and rolled her eyes as she dismounted. Clearly pissed at being interrupted in the middle of something truly wonderful. The sudden empty feeling did not help matters at all and kursed intended to make it very clear that those who disturbed her enjoyment were not welcome. With a sharp pull of the drawer in the end table, she produced one of her pistols. Fox was about to interject when she shot him a look that he swore could kill. Kursed didn't even need to say anything as she was about to take care of their little pest.

With need still dripping from her nethers, Kursed went to the door and opened it like a pop gun, jamming her pistol right into the face of a somewhat surprised and now terrified beaver. She pulled the hammer back and stared him down with murder in her eyes.

"What were you bitching about?" She said in the most stone cold voice.

The beaver, who was quite obviously about to fill his pants in terror in response to a gun being jammed in his face let his dark brown eyes bolt wide as recognition of who stood before him. Kursed, the bounty hunter from all those holovids and news stories, held a sidearm pressed right to his snout. The beaver swiftly stuck his palms up and open into the air in a desperate sense of self-preservation and back peddled on his previous behavior. "N-nothing ma'am! You have yourself a good night!"

Kursed let a triumphant smirk cross her face with eyes half-lidded and teeth showing in the dark of the room. Not a care that the creature had gotten a full view. "Oh, I will. Believe me. Now kindly fuck off." She said in that sophisticated accent of hers. A simple wave of the pistol granted him permission to leave.

The beaver nodded and swiftly moved to the next door over and proceeded to rip it open after slipping his card into the slot and closing it so quickly she swore it almost tore off the hinges. The hammer was let down carefully after she shut the door behind her and returned to the bed. Kursed eyed her prize the whole way over before climbing back atop her mate as if nothing had transpired.

"Now, where were we?" She murmured only for a surprised yip to escape her as Fox grabbed ahold and rolled her till she was pinned on her back. Kursed's first instinct was to fight and with her strong legs, wrapped them around his hips and used the leverage to begin the match. The pair rolled across the bed as they fought for dominance. The vulpine in question was aroused beyond belief and He was done being the bottom, having played along all night; he wanted to show her just what he could do. The sheer wild act of what had happened at the door with how intimidating she was combined with the fact she climbed back on without a second thought? In his own mind, possibly the hottest thing he had ever seen a female do. He could remember a few times Falco had been an ass and interrupted his intimate moments with other females and Fox could not entirely blame her for the reaction, not that he really cared at that moment.

The two fought and wrestled, each vulpine changing position as they laughed merrily and growled at each other with lust and play in their voice. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your view) the match ended with Fox being victorious. His paws pinned her to the bed as both of them breathed heavily in excitement. Kursed, not one to be outdone, wrapped her legs back around his waist and locked her ankles behind him. "Don't you dare be gentle with me," she growled as though it were a threat. Fox responded to her with a smile that spread across his snout, one that only a vulpine could ever give. "Wouldn't dream of it Blue."

Kursed smirked wryly; personally, she hated that nickname. It was strange though, for some reason when it came from Fox, it was a term of endearment that she was growing to enjoy. That train of thought was suddenly derailed when she felt her mate reclaim his proper place once more. Her head craned back and put her throat on display for him as a long drawn out moan left her lips. The sudden feeling of teeth upon her neck and partaking of her offer made those strong athletic legs clench all the tighter while he rocked almost violently back and forth. The vixen's claws shot down and came to rest upon his shoulders with sharp digits digging in and dragging down his back, leaving furrows in their wake and adding a sting of pain to the pleasure for McCloud.

At that moment Kursed felt safer than she had in a very long time. Even as those knife like teeth dug into her throat with his powerful form fit to move mountains pressed down into hers and Fox took her like the beast he was. Somehow, instinctively, she knew in her heart that he would never harm her. For the first time in almost half a decade Kursed knew what it was to trust someone so thoroughly and completely. Their movements and pleasures had continued to rise as though their dance had never been interrupted. The bed creaked and complained once again at the pair of vulpines resumed their passionate embrace. Delighted sounds from both foxes filled the air as they moaned one each others name to the heavens; yet somewhere in the chaos Kursed managed to bring one of her paws from the sea of orange upon Fox's back and placed it on his head, digging her fist into his fluff and urging him to bite harder. Though wary of leaving behind a permanent mark, he did as she bade and pushed the very boundaries of her skin. The frenzied gesture drove Kursed into an animalistic state as her pleasure coiled deep in her stomach. Her body began to tighten its grip in every way possible around that beast of a male.

Both vulpines were on the home stretch with Fox taking her with all the ferocity and pent-up lust within himself. Kursed met him for each thrust while their momentum increased until it all hit the breaking point when her back arched and that incredible coil finally sprang and gave way when he hit a sensitive spot within her body. That sudden drive caused a scream of elation to be torn from her throat as a mind-numbing climax crashed throughout her quaking form. Stars exploded in front of her eyes as the world became a dizzying blur from the sheer might of it. With her walls fluttering and squeezing in response; Fox's own cry joined hers as the two sang their pleasure in unison. She felt him throb, once, twice and then the most delightful of warming sensations began to fill the confines of her sex. That lustful moment heated her very core from within and extinguished her burning lusts. Neither vulpine knew how long it lasted, nor did they really care as they rode their combined peak out in full. Their cries died out seconds later, leaving only the sound of heavy breathing from two lovers.

In the heat of the moment Fox had collapsed atop her, but Kursed was more than happy to be smothered by him at that juncture. Surrounded by the radiant heat of his body and that wonderful scent of male and female permeating the room. It made her mind foggy and full of mind-numbing joy and at some point, she became vaguely aware of a long gentle tongue caressing her features. Fox had begun to bathe her in adoring strokes in his state of post-coital bliss. Kursed reveled in the attention as every touch and caress seemed to prolong her dreamy state. She was all too happy with their tails, arms, and bodies pressed firmly together with her head at rest under his chin and his snout between her ears. Both Fox and Kursed basked in their endorphin high as much as they were each other.

For a time neither vulpine could really unravel what had just happened or how it escalated into something more than just blowing off steam. The pair of vulpines stared carefully into the eyes of the other; neither were sure of what to say or even think. It was Fox who made the first move in an effort to break the awkward silence. His paw gently moved to cup the right side of her face and sifted his pads through her fur. Kursed much to his pleasure returned the touch in kind with a nuzzle and moved forward, rubbing her snout into his neck. Both her arms draped over his shoulders and held onto him possessively as she growled quietly into his fluff and cut him off before he could speak.

"Mine." Came the vixens voice, confident and yet delicate in her declaration. Kursed's claws carefully bit into his back while knife point teeth pulled along that muscled neck. The female Cerinian left behind a route of red beneath the thick forest as she murmured and felt those powerful arms encompass her. The impression of being wrapped up and held so intimately was something she was learning to love swiftly. Teeth began to tug at her ears sweetly in response when his deep, satisfied voice filled the air next to them.

"Yours." He whispered in reply.

With a smile that brimmed with joy; Kursed nuzzled up along the underside of his jaw and nibbled once more before her head came to rest in the crook of his neck. Exhaustion had begun to overwhelm both her and Fox. The events of the day combined with the more recent amorous endeavors taking its toll. The price of a plasma detonation was significant, and even with Kursed's healing he still required proper rest and recovery time. The exertion that came afterward combined with their shenanigans in bed had left him all but spent. Fox drew the blanket over them and held onto the gorgeous woman as the warm cloth settled and let his paws trailed over her curves soothingly until the soft even breaths of her sleeping filled his ears. The orange vulpine could only smile briefly before joining her in slumber not long after.

The night passed peacefully for the pair. For there were no disturbances to interrupt their nocturnal state. Paws and arms intertwined in each other's fur coats. Bodies pressed lovingly together as they subconsciously embraced the other protectively. Fox's head lay atop hers with his snout between her ears while Kursed's lay upon his shoulder. The pair of foxes bore smiles upon their lips. A man who had lost his family, worked so hard to do what was right for so many. He was cast as an infallible hero who's joy was serving Lylat; but in truth, Fox had not known true happiness in a long time. Always robbed from him with an exploding car, betrayal of a family friend, or a loveless relationship. It was a renewal for Fox. As his eyes slowly drifted shut, he felt something well up within his heart. A sensation and warmth that gradually spread throughout his body. The broken Cerinian who slept beside him and embraced in his arms had given him a breath of much needed metaphysical fresh air. A new outlook on life. Fox made a promise in his half-asleep state that he would do everything to help Kursed and learn all that he could about the vixen behind the gun.

On the other end, Kursed had long been under. A tender smile curled at the corners of her delicate snout when her mind entered it's REM state and began to vividly dream. Quietly, she nuzzled Fox and her body pressed against him. Her subconscious mind not wanting to be far from the man that made her feel as though she flew higher than the gods. She knew trust, affection; but, their love was still an unknown. She knew Fox well enough to know he was not a womanizer, as did her mind. Her heart was another matter. Still, for the time being, Kursed was at ease. She had long suffered from insomnia, nightmares and horrific dreams. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, she slept like a newborn kit.

Hours would pass and eventually daybreak would arrive with Kursed being the first to rouse from her slumber. The bright rays of Lylat's star shone just past the edges of the curtains and lit the room up warmly. Faint oranges cast the room alight as the vixen's eyes fluttered open. At first, she began to get up and check her ships avionics; only to recall that she was not on her ship but in bed on Macbeth within Sargasso City. Furthermore, her waking mind noted there was something incredibly soft and fuzzy pressed up against her with gentle cream contrasted by blazing orange filling her sleep addled vision. Several blinks as she rubbed her eyes while her brain began to remind her of what had occurred the previous night. It all came rushing back as she relived the night in vivid detail. A deep heated blush spread across her soft white furred cheeks which was only magnified when her nerves began to fire off. The sudden rush of sore satisfaction from various spots alerted her to just how rough they had behaved with each other. Parts of her neck burned delightfully with the stings of his bites and her lower body felt sated with the mild ache from her first night with a male. It was a different type of soreness, one you had after a good time at the gym, only far more fulfilling. Her eyes drifted up from his chest to gaze upon his handsome features and lay there with Fox as he slept like a child next to her. It only served to compliment the sensations she was experiencing. For the first time she saw her prey truly at peace, a content smile upon his lips with those burly arms holding her. At first, Kursed thought to get up and go shower, but she was just too comfortable to even contemplate moving. Instead, she opted to press forward into Fox's thick fur coat and inhale his scent. She nestled in for the long haul and enjoyed herself while waiting for her mate to waken.

Kursed would not have to wait long on her restful paramour as a soft yawn filled the air above her head, followed by a smack of lips and tongue with Fox rousing from his rest. Much like she had, he went through the routine of waking up and taking stock of his situation only for his emerald eyes to gaze down and lock onto her bright aquamarine hues. A sheepish smile crossed his lips which combined with a look of reservation. Rather than let Fox fret, she eased his fears with a firm good morning kiss on the lips, morning breath be damned. She assured him with the gesture that all was well. In response, his arms cinched around her while they held their morning kiss for a blissful moment. The two parted shortly afterward with Kursed holding a warm smile for him.

"Good morning, Fox," She said softly, as her paw rubbed the left side of his snout, to which he happily nuzzled rubbed his muzzle against her paw pads.

"Good morning, Kursed." He replied and kissed each of her paw pads tenderly. A sensation that made her giggle quietly from his affections.

"So…"

"So?" Fox mumbled back.

"What happens now?" Though it was far too early to be asking about life-changing questions, she wanted some closure about last night. Her insecurities were still strong and would take time to become entirely comfortable with the intimacy between them. "Was I… was I good?" Kursed's voice was laced with concern, fear that she had not been as desirable as she had felt the previous evening. Gone was the confident rambunctious vixen, now replaced with a young woman who sought approval.

Fox blinked, never in his dreams had he thought a female would ever ask him that. He was used to being the insecure one. Though he had become increasingly confident over the years as his experience grew. Fox could not fault her for it as he knew what it was like to be in that position, unskilled and questioning his abilities as a lover. She needed an answer to assure her that she was most certainly something to him, and Fox hated seeing Kursed torment herself. He understood all too clearly what she was going through. In response, Fox leaned down to rub their noses together slowly and gave her a loving peck on the lips.

"You were amazing Kursed, easily the most incredible woman I have ever had the pleasure of being with."

Kursed looked at him skeptically, thinking he was just trying to placate her with honeyed words, but that little nagging voice in her mind rebuked her for that train of thought.

_Remember the infirmary._

Kursed dwelled on that for but a few seconds and decided that a repeat of what had almost destroyed their partnership was unacceptable. The vixen mulled it over in her mind and settled on a leap of faith to trust Fox. The vixen gingerly nuzzled back up against him and reasoned that after everything they had been through, he had no reason to lie to her. A happy purr came forth from her lips as his warmth eased her fears while holding onto him like a giant teddy bear.

For several moments the pair said nothing and basked in their shared warmth and comfort of the other when Kursed broke the silence.

"I guess we should get up and shower." She mumbled into his chest.

"Do we have to?" he replied playfully. "I could lay like this for a few more hours at least.

"Okay, now you're laying it on thick."

"Not as thick as last night." He shot back.

Kursed looked up at him with shock that he just made such a lewd joke before with a series of bobs from his brow had her descend into a fit of laughter while shoving him across the bad. "You cad! That was just... Ugh!" Kursed clutched her stomach and groaned in mild discomfort as the vixen remembered she was quite sore from last nights adventures. "Damnit, Fox… I'm sore from last night…" She muttered. "Stop making me laugh!"

Fox, however, was undeterred. He intended to make the best of their morning after and wanted Kursed to be assured that he wanted her as more than just a one night fuck. She had proclaimed that he was hers now, but people often said things in the heat of the moment like that. If she meant it though, he would gladly be hers. For now, he was on a mission and began to attack his lover. Fox explored her anew, though not with the intent to seduce, but to tickle and with years of skill he had built up with ticklish females; his attack was quite successful which earned the victory of Kursed's laughter filling his ears. To Fox, it was the sweetest sound to him and took great joy in the fact that the two of them could lower their armor in such a way and act like fools. His fingers sought out her most sensitive spaces to trace and delicately rub over only to then aggressively attacking them. The tod began to find all those spots as if he knew her body better than she did with tender yet aggressive strokes that had her recoiling and trying to bat him away as the room filled with the sound of laughter and flourishing fondness.

Several minutes would pass as both vulpines began to calm, chests heaving with Kursed laying once more against Fox. Her head pressed against his chest while listening to his reassuring heartbeat. "Bastard." She growled in a playful tone.

"Nah, I knew who my father was." He replied, grinning broadly while a paw ran tenderly through her cobalt locks.

As if a perfect moment could be ruined, (And it most certainly could be.) Fox's communicator began to go off and made both foxes groan in agitation.

"Don't answer it, Fox," Kursed spoke with anger in her voice. Annoyed that their fantastic start was going to be potentially ruined by work. She just wanted to be alone with Fox.

Fox frowned "It's Katt…"

"Definitely don't answer it." She intoned seriously.

"If I don't, she'll bitch at us unceasingly, trust me. I know. Katt does not like to be ignored."

Kursed sighed, but unbeknownst to Fox, the vixen concocted a slightly devilish idea in her mind. A glint of mischief in her aquamarine eyes as she waited for her moment to pounce.

"Fox here, whatcha got Katt?"

"About damn time! I've been trying to call you for hours you mongrel! I've been shedding wondering where you are!" Came the aggravated but concern filled voice of Katt.

Fox blinked, neither he nor Kursed had heard an alert or ringing until just a moment ago.

_Probably bad reception._

With a roll of his eyes, Fox muttered with an exasperated sigh. "Okay Mom, calm the hell down. I've been sleeping because I took a plasma grenade to the face and I am exhausted from yesterday's gunfight. Despite what the Cornerians seem to think, I am mortal. "

Katt's end suddenly went silent when her voice picked up once more. "You... what?" She said in disbelief.

"My shield was set at maximum before the detonation, but the blast still managed to knock me out. Thankfully, Kursed kept them busy while I recovered and got my bearings. Couldn't see shit. Good thing for vulpine hearing and sense of smell."

"I see… speaking of, where is Kursed?"

That was her moment to strike. Kursed reached up and pulled the communicator down, Fox was about to protest when she shot him a playful, flirty look and moved close enough to hear and speak with the Her Pinkness.

"Right here, Katt." She practically purred to the pink feline.

Dead silence was the reply.

"Now, if you'll please call back later, you interrupted some quality time between myself and Fox. Business can wait."

"You!" ***click***

Kursed smirked after tossing the communicator across the room to the other bed. The alert set to mute. "Now then, we shouldn't be interrupted for the rest of the morning."

"You are evil." He spoke calmly.

Kursed flicked her tail as that mischief filled smile returned and quickly turned into that signature vulpine grin.

"And I love it."

The cerulean vixen beamed with pride as she planted a kiss on his nose. "Care to join me for a shower Foxy? After all, you made a mess of me, it's only fair you clean it up." Kursed gave him such a hungry stare that it could have made a holy man blush before she stood and though still sore, began to move to the bathroom. Broad, powerful hips and lush Cerinian backside swaying side to side to tempt her Fox and much to her credit, Kursed learned quickly, as this time around the vixen did not stumble.

Her ploy worked hand over fist.

Meanwhile, up above in Macbeth orbit, Katt sat staring at her communicator while mulling over the last words from Kursed before the audible click of a hangup rang in her head. At first the feline was pissed beyond all reason that she was so rudely hung up on. That anger died and gave way to sisterly pride coupled with a cat who had caught the canary grin spreading across her slim white-furred snout.

"Well played, Blue, well played. Just don't break him too hard." Though mildly concerned because of that medication. She couldn't help but note the difference in Kursed's tone and playful demeanor over the communicator.

Maybe there's hope for both of those idiots yet. The pink feline snickered to herself. Katt was still concerned for Fox's safety given Kursed's mental state, but it sounded like they were getting along swimmingly. So much so that Katt wanted all the lovely details from her blue cohort at a later time. For now, she would leave the two alone let them cement their relationship.

"Business can wait... hmm, speaking of breaking. Oh, Falco~."

Somewhere in the depths of the Catspaw, Falco Lombardi sensed a disturbance within vessel.


	8. Chapter 8

It's often said that love is a form of madness, that the heart controls the mind and impulses run awry. A state of being when one's mental faculties become diminished. For Fox McCloud, it was a strange mix of wild passion and controlled resolute focus. Kursed had invited him to join her in the shower after the communication with Katt. Naturally, he willingly obeyed his blue siren as the call of Kursed was no longer a song of death. Instead; it was a gentle, demure, and insecure tune. Behind that however, was a wild hunger, an inferno that threatened to spread and consume them both to ash in an instant, or smolder to last a lifetime. It was one that even he could see and feel without the need of telepathy; the previous evening's events were clear evidence of that.

But what had Fox so concerned; is that everything had been so abrupt and out of seemingly nowhere. The kiss, her sweet caresses, and those gorgeous thighs and hips that had surrounded his face the previous night.

_Not that I'm complaining._

His venue for such thought was a strange one as steam coated the walls of the shower. The gentle sound of running water filled the air while it washed over both him and his companions athletic frames. They were not amidst coitus, much to Kursed's surprise; his grip held no thirst or sinful intent. There was naught but a desire to care for someone and shower her in his affection.

That suited Kursed just fine. Or at least to Fox; she appeared to enjoy his touch.

Without any discouragement from his azure lover; Fox let his palms wander over the generous curves of his vixen. Those same gentle paws sifted through seas of blue and white while claw tips grazed lazily over immaculate muscle groups. How she maintained such a physique without diminishing her femininity was a great source of interest to Fox. No doubt more than a few gym enthusiasts would kill to know her secrets.

That didn't matter to him however; what did, was showing Kursed that he cared for her more than just as a great lay. Things had been so strenuous on them in the past week. His capture, the emotional escapades that followed. All of it culminated in a grenade to the face, and the best night of his life paws down. There was more to it than that however, Fox perceived a stirring in his soul that he'd not experienced in an eternity; the romantic in him had awoken, and he intended to show it in its full fervor. The physical affections started at the top of her head, the ears specifically. She was a fox just as he, meaning those ears were incredibly sensitive. It was a common trait among canines and felines. Slowly, Fox closed his mouth first around the left, and traced along the delicate edge of her adorable ears. Razor sharp teeth tugged at the tender flesh followed by his lips molding along those elegant edges in a drawn out suckle. Fox's actions earned him a deep heavy purr of appreciation from Kursed, one that he happily reciprocated as their bodies fit together so perfectly. The contours of his chest pressed to her back with groin flushed to her rear. It was as though the gods had made them for each other.

Not that Fox believed in such a thing.

_Although my adventures on Sauria have raised a few questions._

Kursed was far from idle however; she was not one to let someone else do all the work. The sheer joy of her lovers body pressed against her own was growing in intensity by the moment. Cobalt paws had been wandering over her lover from the moment his arms had come to rest about her waist and his head upon her shoulder. His formidable build; while not absurdly muscled, was still quite chiseled and defined, her lylatian lover was made for endurance and speed, something the cerulean vixen appreciated. Muscle monsters and gym lunks did nothing for her, her tastes in men lent themselves towards a more a functional appearance. That was not to say Fox didn't have definition, last night and current events had made it incredibly obvious he took very good care of himself. Her fingers danced across those powerful muscles that were coupled with a near mythical stamina; a legend she had put to the test many a time during their chase across Lylat. Now, Fox had been tested it in another way and Kursed had certainly not found him wanting. She could scarcely call it love making, it had been a wild, unchained blitz of emotions that had left them as primal beasts. She swore they damn near broke the bed with their antics

_Was more like wild fucking… and gods above I wouldn't change that experience for anything else._

The thought brought forth a sly smile that tugged at the corner of her snout. Her memory of the previous evening rolled through her mind in great clarity. How she called his name, the sounds of their bodies becoming as one. Their very scents combining in the air while his powerful body heaved atop her as Fox gave it his all. The world shattering rush of pleasure coursing through her very being… and his rich potent seed splashing inside her. The warmth that sensation had caused to spread through her body; it was as if something had been missing. A wonderful moment in her life that left her feeling whole. Kursed was used to being aggressive, far more masculine in demeanor and forthright. Rarely did she have to make use of her feminine wiles to get the job done. The muscles and scars were a testament to that, but last night, and now their time together in the shower? The whole experience had, and still did make her feel incredibly feminine.

It was an alien perception to her, to feel protected and lose herself in someone else's arms for a time and not care when her next meal or job would be coming. The idea of surrendering herself so utterly was an anathema. But in some weird sense, it was an experience of liberation that coupled with a lack of tension in her mind. Gone was the fear that people were constantly after her, vanished was the suspicion of who would try next to take her life. Kursed wasn't coiled up like a spring and ready pounce forth. Instead, the vixen was calm like a pool at rest, a leaf gently soaring in the wind. The chains of her hellacious life were broken, at least temporarily and it allowed her some semblance of normality.

_Is this what happiness feels like? It's been so long..._

And It was all thanks to Fox, her wonderful orange miracle. Despite their respective careers and history; he held none of it against her, Fox understood the business better than anyone. To be able to feel something other than animosity, anger and contempt for those criminals she often killed or captured for money. It was a god send. All the while Krystal thought on these things; Fox attacked those lovely little nerve endings which brought her no small amount of bliss. The vixen craned her head back to let Fox do as he willed. Krystal signalled her pleasure as that thoroughly soaked tail thrashed against his side in contentment. Her impassioned vocalizations in the form of a throaty purr were more than enough to let Fox know he was doing everything right.

Kursed simultaneously loathed and loved how he doted on her. Not because he was practically cleaving away portions of her emotional armor; it was the fact he was doing it so **easily** that both infuriated and enamored her. Even as Kursed's fingers traced across his pectorals and down to his abs from the front while her rear was firmly nestled against his groin, she wanted to pull away and at the same moment press deeper into his embrace. The wonderful sensation of his manhood at rest between her strong yet malleable backside, was one she welcomed. Kursed wished that Fox would pin her to the wall and ravish her, to lay claim in entirety, but that primal section was drowned out by the feeling of completion his tenderness brought.

Every single lick, kiss, and nibble was electrifying. It satisfied her in ways she had not known could be possible. The potency was like a drug, one she could not, and did not want to stop imbibing in.

_What is love indeed…_

Slowly, Kursed accepted the situation she was in as her mind fell away into a tender rest, one she desperately needed. The weeks worth of madness had her mind pushed to the very limits. Thus, Kursed receded and once more Krystal came forth. Her sparkling aquamarine hues became rife with vivacious fire while her body language became far more relaxed and inviting.

It did not slip by Fox that something had changed about his vixen. Fox's Cerinian lover pulled away so that only an inch or two separated them before she turned back to face him. Her gaze immediately catching his attention.

_Just like back in the armory. What is going on with her?_

Krystal smiled back to fox, the confusion was clear, but it was the recognition that pleased her.

_He can see the difference!_

The vixen recalled their previous events and talk, the sudden soreness that ran through her, a satisfying full feeling and emotional satisfaction that made her purr spontaneously.

_Oh, we did… That?_

Krystal didn't know whether to be pleased or scared of such a thing. That her ego had the capacity for those interaction and desires.

_At least I have good taste in men._

It was his scent, and very presence that brought comfort. The cerulean fox smiled as she leant in and nuzzled up beneath her tod's chin. Not a word passed between them as they basked in the warmth and presence of each other. Fox was curious as Kursed became far more active in their moment. Those razor tipped claws traced exquisitely through his matted fur and left left behind trails of red from the intensity; all the while her tongue bathed along his neck. A gentle utterance of a satisfied sigh came forth from her throat as the two indulged one another. For Fox, he felt as though heaven had arrived, Fara had never been this affectionate, let alone tender. For the first time in a very long time, Fox felt at peace with his masculinity, no sense of shame in surrendering to the affections of a woman. She didn't berate him, use him or make him feel weak, the way her tongue danced among his fluff and neck muscles, it was as though she cherished him. In the end; that's all he ever wanted from someone close to him. Were it anyone else he would have been far more defensive, but in the state he was in, Kursed could almost do anything to him and he would not mind.

So many emotions were boiling beneath the surface, anxiety and joy, fear and love. It was especially miraculous for the tod as after his relationship with Fara fell through, Fox had judged that love was all but been ruined for him. And yet, his romantic salvation appeared in the form of an alien vixen. One who could read minds, bend the very fabric of reality and take on small armies by herself; at least that was the case if half the propaganda Corneria put out about Cerinian's was true.

For over a half hour they continued like that, exploring each other in intimate detail. No muscle, nor a single follicle of fur went unturned. The joy they shared was palpable, and when they emerged from their watery dance, the pair had a greater understanding just from touch and body language alone. It spoke volumes of what they desired from one another and both vulpines knew they were in store for something truly grand. So long as they were ready to put the effort in and face the challenges together.

Both foxes had locked eyes and a silent agreement formed, their whiskers twitched towards one another and ears cupped forward in curiosity, tails matted with water swayed and dribbled all over the floor. A quiet confirmation that neither vulpine wanted to spoil their moment with words, for what had been shared, and the power of what was growing in their hearts, words would fall flat. Silence reigned between the two as content smiles crossed their lips.

Eventually their gazes parted as the need to dry off became apparent when Krystal accidentally flicked a strand of water across her lover. Both of them bore head splitting grins that were a signature of their species. With a turn and a sway of his backside, Fox stepped into the automatic drier with the azure vixen not far behind. The after effects of what transpired left both vulpines descending into fits of laughter at the sight of the other; their fur poofed out and made them appear as though they were some weird Vulpine, Pomeranian hybrid. The laughter died suddenly as Fox turned about and was surprised when a gentle weight came to rest against his back. Paws lay at rest upon his shoulder blades as Krystal's tongue danced along the scruff his neck. The vulnerable spot normally would have earned a growl of warning from the male, but, just as before with his throat; he knew he could trust her. And so the warning died before it could even bet uttered. Kursed had earned a portion of his trust and it was growing with each minute they were together. Fox could only reply as was befit the situation; a deep happy murmur of appreciation that threatened to shake the vixen off his back.

The silence that had lain so thick about the pair was finally broken with the soft dulcet tones of Kursed's voice filling his ears.

"Thank you, for last night Fox, and this morning."

The tod smiled sheepishly at her words and nodded his head in response. "To be fair, you started it. I was only reciprocating what we both wanted."

The Cerinian vixen smiled to him as he turned and brushed their noses together. He was so shy and modest, he had wanted it as much as she did. Yet she took the reigns much to his evident pleasure and then had the tables turned in the best way imaginable. "By the gods, that was so unlike me, but, I have no regrets. I trust you don't either?"

The insecurity in her voice was laden with an underlying hope; it made Fox smile in a way that made the vixen's heart flutter and stomach knot up as his powerful arms came to wrap about her once again. That thick immaculate fur brushed into her own comically thick fluff, it was a melding of blue and orange with shots of white; as though two bodies urged to become one. Krystal relished that wonderful feeling of security encompassing her once more. All the while that tongue traced along the edge of an ear that made her throat vibrate in a cavernous purr.

"Not a single one." He replied. "Last night… There are no words that do justice to what I felt; or how I feel right now."

His voice was like a whisper, just like the tod's touch. Delicate, warm, yet strong as a mountain. It made Krystal's thick fluff of a tail sway in unmitigated joy.

 _So, it wasn't just a one night thing for him._ His admission was a great relief; that she had not chosen wrong in her first lover. Despite all the odds, Krystal, or rather, her mask, Kursed; had found solace in someone who wasn't of her own kind. Not to mention from a sector of space that viewed her people with no small amount of animosity.

The chances were slim to none with all things considered. Krystal however, did not want to focus on that. Instead, the Cerinian wanted to center on the rapture she experienced as her life had seen a great passage of time that had come and gone since such an emotion reared its head. And Fox McCloud was providing it in spades. She wanted to tell him that, to express her heartfelt desire, but Krystal knew it was too soon. Things were still rocky and had not cemented just yet. Especially with her mask still being prevalent; she did not want to scare Fox away with an admission of love. Krystal made a promise that to tackle Kursed was the first order of business… right after she kicked those meds out the door. The third promise was admitting to the potent emotions she carried for Fox that made her chest feel fit to burst.

_Soon, soon I'll tell him._

Fox on the other end, was beaming with pride and warmth. Kursed's thank you, and her gentle affections had put more than a few fears at ease. His worries that they had been moving too fast, or perhaps it was nothing more than a one off had been lain to rest. It wasn't just the fact the pair of them were intimate now; it was more that something about her made him feel confident again. A sort of pride filled his chest, not just in himself, but with Kursed as well. Everytime they locked their gaze, he saw a spring of hope in those gorgeous sea blue eyes, something that was no doubt reflected in his own. That both of them had so similar a story and were moving together at a pace he thought impossible.

Even as Fox thought on it, he noted the different appearance, and everytime Kursed became a bit more subdued in her demeanour, those verdant hues lit up like a neon sign. They were so different now, full of energy and life, where as before they had been dull and almost empty. She was a mystery to him; one that begged exploration in every way. On the realm of the physical, the mental… perhaps even the spiritual. The last notion made him smile as spirits were still new to him; and the idea of ghosts and an afterlife were a common joke among Cornerians. Cornerian's as a whole believed themselves superior to Cerinian's for not following any "Fogey old superstition." Fox's experiences on Sauria however, had left him questioning that notion. On top of it all, he sensed something great brewing between him and the alien vixen from another world. Not just physically; the tod wasn't quite sure, but somewhere within, his instincts whispered of great things to come.

Fox was more than eager to see what those things were.

_Is it love? I can't say, but things are looking up; that's for certain._

The two dressed and donned their gear shortly afterwards and made their way to the elevator on their floor that would take them to the parking garage.

Krystal was still in control and had intentions to stay that way for as long as she could.

"So, Fox, what's the plan now?"

"Well, I have an idea, but I really don't like it."

"Oh?"

"Yea, Wolf's likely out of the game for a while, he's going to have to clean house in his "Crew". Which means he'll be at that for weeks, possibly months. Meanwhile, we may not have that time.

"So…."

"So?"

**Twenty Minutes Later**

"What?! No! Absolutely not! We are not bringing ears in on this!" An exasperated Katt Monroe was staring daggers at Fox McCloud.

"You think I'm thrilled about the plan myself?!" Fox shouted back. "You know exactly what she's going to try and do while I'm there. But we need the cash, and the tools. Without them and the Great Fox, this whole thing isn't getting far."

Katt laid a paw upon her face with a groan. "I cannot believe you let her take the Great Fox."

"I didn't need a freakin' Dreadnought all to myself! Not since Falco pissed off and Slippy went and did whatever he was going to do. Peppy has been enjoying his retirement. All I've needed is my Arwing. So, I gave it over to Fara and Space Dynamics so they could keep it up to date in case we needed it again."

Krystal looked between the two as they went back and forth. Falco was sitting off to the side and letting them argue.

"Question, who is Fara?"

The sudden inquiry brought both pink feline and orange tod to an abrupt stop in their argument. to Kursed watched as the pair turned towards her only to face each other with a sigh of irritation.

"What they mean to say, is that Ears… or Fara Phoenix; is an old "friend" of theirs. Or more specifically, Fox's ex girlfriend, and Katt's on again off again business partner."

A sudden surge of jealousy raced up Krystal's spine. The mere mention of one of Fox's past flames causing that territorial nature and Kursed to rear her head. Though, her mask did not take the reins back, not quite yet. Krystal wanted to know more and forced her more aggressive persona to the back.

"So, this plan, run it by me one more time?"

Fox picked up a cup of coffee from the countertop and took a long drag of it before settling the mug back down. "Fara has a lot of money. If anyone can bank roll Star Fox to get it up and running again. It's her. I'm not going to the government because they will try to pinch every credit they can to save some money. At least with Fara, we can negotiate a deal… the downside is-

"The downside is, Fara sees Fox still as hers. And considering you two have been smashing it up according to Katt, that's gonna cause some issues."

The birds candor made Krystal blush and turn her head away to hide the fact while her tail coiled about her leg.

"Please don't call it that Falco… for the love of mike; it's more than just smashing."

"Whatever you say pal. All I know is that Fara is gonna pitch a fit, that and all of Corneria when you bring the blue wonder over there planetside. You know the law, no Cerinian's on the ground."

Fox snorted derisively. "We both know that's a bullshit law and hypocritical. They can bitch and whine all they want; Kursed is with me, and if they don't like it? Tough shit."

The room went deadly silent, even Katt was surprised by Fox's declaration. He was not usually that gung-ho about using his status as Lylat's Hero to his advantage. Even Falco's beak was agape before turning to Krystal.

"Damn girl, you really rocked his world didn't you?"

Falco's tone carried with it an almost brotherly affection, even a bit of pride. Krystal couldn't help but let a bit of pleasure shine through as the memories of their previous engagement surfaced, where she had met him as Kursed. What had transpired was essentially been a power struggle, one in which she was victorious. Krystal turned back to stare at Falco with no small amount of sisterly pride before her stare returned to Katt and Fox. Of which the latter was blushing like a cherry at the mention of their sexual escapades and trying to look anywhere but her.

Kursed once more reared her head and urged Krystal to imbibe in a bit of fun.

"I guess if you call pinning him to the bed and riding his face to satisfaction rocking his world…" The vixen replied, her voice trailing playfully off at the end.

"Kursed!" Fox offered plaintively, somewhere between embarrassment and enjoyment at her antics. The poor man was confused as to where he lay on the spectrum.

"Coupled with taking his mass driver for a spin."

That little quip made Falco and Katt simultaneously burst into fits of laughter. The poor todd was fuming slightly until the absurdity sank in and relented, joining Katt, Falco, and Kursed in intense belly shaking laughter.

Several minutes would pass as the Catspaw's walls echoed with their mirth, all four of them holding their stomachs that were in stitches before needing to breath.

"Oh sweet hell, Foxy, you got yourself a real winner there." Katt said with her trademark smirk and brushing a tear from her eye. The white tuft of hair upon her head gently pushed out of the way. She had not forgotten about the medication, but something about Kursed seemed different to her. More lively, joking even! The girl was a lean mean blue killing machine; and here she was telling dick jokes!

Even Falco was in on it. "Well, no counting for Fox having odd taste in women."

Katt peered at her birdy with a wide grin. "Oh, so I am odd now huh?"

The avians feathers became ruffled, knowing that Fox had once dated Katt, and the feline made no small bones about teasing her lover over the fact.

"Katt! That's not… gah! damn you woman!"

Her pinkness leaned over to plant a kiss on the birds cheek and hug him around the neck. "Such a good sport."

Falco let out a harumph as he "pretended" to pout and look away from Katt. It was a game between them, one she very much enjoyed. But sadly, there was business to be had.

"So, how do you plan to broach this little subject with Fara hrm? I don't assume you're just going to walk in the door and say "Hey Fara! I need my ship back, some sketchy shit is going down!"

The look that Fox gave Katt made her nervous. It was funny, no one expected Fox McCloud to be devious and a schemer; because when Foxy got an idea in his head, it was oft brilliant and terrifying all at once. It made the military pukes who thought Shock And Awe was just a pretty display look like amateurs.

Fox was the **embodiment** of Shock and Awe. As proven by his stellar mercenary career.

"Actually, I'm going to play out of my hand."

"Come again?" All three said at once.

"I'm done hiding and skulking around feeling sorry for myself, after that little episode down below on the colony. Things escalating with Kursed here. I'm done; I'm ready to get back in the saddle and if Fara Phoenix thinks she owns my ass like one of her little boy toys, or **my** ship? She and the rest of Lylat have another thing coming."

When Katt thought brilliant plans, Fox usually had them… and in it's own simplistic way, It was clever. Everyone in Lylat hounded the heroic tod which made him always shy away from the cameras and try to dodge the press as well as the glitterati. But, if he was going balls deep, it would throw everyone on Corneria off their game. It was stupidly, simplistically ingenious.

"Well hallelujah Fox, about time you found your nuts."

The patented McCloud stare of doom came the blue birds way. "I expect one hell of an apology if you want in on the action Falco. Not right now, when you feel ready. I know how you can be."

The bird wanted to pipe back with something smarmy or what he ascertained to be witty… but this was the Fox he knew back during the Lylat Wars. The Fox that had all but vanished for a long time. The firebrand of a leader who took shit from no one and tore so much ass across the stars; it made the best bands in Lylat envious of his pussy game.

"Bah! You'll get one when I say so and you'll like- Ack! The hell Katt?!"

"If it's not sincere, you can expect nothing from me for a while. We're family Falco, remember that."

Falco's eyes rolled in typical fashion. "Jeeze leweez, always on my case."

"Only because I love you birdy~."

Falco huffed and mumbled something so only Katt could hear which only made the pink feline giggle and kiss him on the side of the beak.

Fox watched on and shook his head with a soft chuckle; things were starting to feel familiar again with some new and exciting additions.. He turned his gaze to Kursed and gave her a warm hearted smile that was meant for her, and only her. It was underlined with concern as Corneria was not the place it once was. He wasn't proud of the fact, but, she would learn one way or another. Politics be damned if he wouldn't let her come planetside.

"Going to Corneria isn't going to be an easy trip for you Kursed, expect a fair amount of hell. I don't know what Cerinia has on us, but it's not pretty. A far cry from the stories Peppy used to tell me about before the wars."

The azure vixen nodded to her lover and lay her head upon his shoulder. "I understand, I've had a rough time of it out here. I'll be fine, especially with you at my side."

The poor male flushed under his orange fur and his smile only broadened further. That rich foreign accent of hers coupled with the obvious sincerity in her voice. It made his heart throb in excitement.

_I swear, I dunno if there are gods or not, but the fact her and I are a thing has to be some kind of miracle._

"I won't ever be far Kursed, you can bet on it."

"Good, let's get going then, shall we?"

It would be several days of space flight towards Corneria. Within the bowels of the Catspaw, Krystal stood over the bathroom sink with her bottle of anxiety medication in hand. She stared long and hard at the bold letters that spelled out Xandorapram as a frown spread across her snout. Her ears and whiskers both fell in apprehension at the choice she faced.

_I promised, I need to kick this stuff. It's poisoning me and keeping me from my best._

The cobalt vixen knew it needed to be done… it was what would come after that scared her. The withdrawal and sudden onset of mental activity could be devastating. She had little to no knowledge of what could happen over the next week and beyond; which made the idea of going cold turkey all the more terrifying.

_I have to though, it's now or never. I'll be better for it at the end._

With an apprehensive gulp, and no small amount of shouting from her conscience; Krystal upturned the bottle of pills and poured them down the drain. Each tablet that fell was like a hammerblow. The little cylinders spiralled about the silvery circle one by one, to Krystal, it was like watching her future unfold before her aquamarine hues.

A choice had been made, and she would have to live with it.

_It's the right choice… a painful one, but no less the right one._

Krystal's thoughts weighed heavily upon her mind as she lay back against the nearby wall with paws upon knees. Fear had begun to set in. The azure vixen had made a decision to change the life she lived with for almost eight years. It was as much for herself as it was to benefit her growing relationship with Fox, she reasoned that the blazing orange vulpine didn't deserve a mate who was only at half capacity, if even that. She had Fox's records from various missions along with his psyche profile. In an odd moment of reflection, she thought about how easily it had been to pilfer the Cornerian personnel database. It was as simple as one, two, three and with the information she found; the vixen learned quite a bit about Fox. His strengths, weaknesses, aptitudes in various skills, all of it had been laid out bare. The various mission records had painted a very powerful picture of the man behind the legend. The truth of the matter was, that Fox was the definition of super soldier. His speeds were off the chart along with his reaction times; he could pip the ace at well over a thousand yards if given the chance. Not to mention the stunt with Andross's massive beast of a dreadnought. If he were Cerinian, Fox would have been declared a living legend, titles, fame, glory and status would be his in spades.

Not the artificial status Lylatians foisted upon him, but as someone who was to be looked up to and emulated. Cornerians treated him as nothing more than a glorified PR chess piece. He was so much more than that, and they had no idea the gem they had on their paws. Perhaps if Cornerians did, they wouldn't neglect him until he was needed. The utter contempt Krystal held for Corneria in that regard was strong, to see someone like Fox abused by the very people he risked his life to save; was disgusting. Krystal made a commitment in that moment, that she would prove beyond the shadow of a doubt she belonged at Fox's side. Far more than any Cornerian or Lylatian did. She would have to be as strong, if not more so than Fox, twice as deadly, ready to kill for him if needed. It was morbid and could be construed as obsessive or even over protective.

But to a Cerinian, love was a very serious matter.

Which was why she was doing this; Krystal understood that she needed to be there for him in all things. It was her duty as a prospective mate. The vixen knew she had to protect him; not just from outside influences, but himself if need be. It was likely their cultural differences would cause issues, on Cerinia, the sexes were treated as equals yet still celebrated their differences. Male and female were meant to work in concert and compliment each other where the other lacked. To pick up the other when they stumbled.

On Corneria; she'd seen a mish mash of ideologies, some she saw similarities to her own while others were caricatures of basic reality. Specieists and sexists were rife on all sides, so many convinced they were in the right. Discord was the only inevitable conclusion, her glimpse into the fragmented political scene had revealed so much disunion and outright lack of basic respect among the populace. Despite her current lot in life, the fractures she saw made her yearn to return where the desire for unity was on par with individuality. Both were held in the highest regard as the sum of its parts bettered the whole. Even the Kalanos knew that basic premise, not that it would save them from her wrath.

_It's no wonder the Cornerians lose almost every war they get into… They can't even agree on basic principles for their society. If it weren't for Fox and his team, I can't imagine what Lylat would be like right now. Or Cerinia._

That thought caused a shudder of fear to rush through her body.

_So many owe Fox and his team for their victory. Yet they squander that precious gift and fight amongst themselves. The fact they have the gall to name Cerinian's savages..._

Her thoughts were not pleasant ones and Krystal wanted to avoid the trap of prejudice and anger. It was something she was all too familiar with her life as Kursed. Fox was the best representation of his system, the gold standard even with he his faults. At the end of the day Fox was mortal like everyone else which is what made him all the more appealing, death and destruction were his trade and Fox still managed to hold onto his beliefs. The handsome orange tod fought for what was right and all that was good even if he had fallen on hard times. Krystal had glimpsed the hero in the man on the Catspaw not days ago. The warmth that coursed through her being when Fox declared that he would be by her side during the coming trials, it was like a story from the old days, a fairy tale. The mere thought made Krystal giggle slightly at the notion before her mind came back down to reality.

Krystal knew there would be problems, mostly cultural ones. Fox would have to learn that having a Cerinian as a lover would be a massive departure from what he was used to in Lylat. She wasn't terribly worried though, with the kind of person Fox was; Krystal had faith the tod would succeed in spades. It would take time and effort from both of them to make it work. She knew that as two lost souls the endeavor would be a feat that poets could sing of for the ages. Even so, there were miles to go and plenty of healing to do.

_He's worth it though, the way he looks at me, how he stood proud in that room and spoke those words about Corneria and my going there… He meant every word._

Krystal had seen the proof with her very own eyes. Despite Cerinians being telepaths, kinesics were still an important part of a warriors training. To learn the subtle differences in body language went a long way, especially if ones telepathic channel was limited. Krystal had been reading Fox from the first day they met and learned a great deal about him. Even more so in the past week, and especially within the last seventy-six hours.

The vixen shifted her gaze up and into the mirror on the wall, her reflection staring back with luminous aquamarine hues as they raked over her shape. A simple soft black sports top and a pair of black shorts covered her so that she could sleep comfortably. Scars lay hidden under her silken blue and white fur; to Krystal, they were badges of honor. Bullet wounds, blaster shots, knife and various other hurts she had collected over the years. That wasn't to say she was all scar tissue, thanks to regenerative technologies her fur had grown back perfectly. It was a reminder of who she had become; Kursed, a Cerinian bounty hunter with a massive chip on her shoulder and enough hatred to power a large city.

 _How could someone so good and noble hearted even think to date someone like me?_ The question was one that had been repeating itself over the course of the past few days. While Krystal was sure of what was in her heart, the burgeoning question that was burning inside her kept rearing its head; did he feel the same? It was possible they could date and never become something more. With her reputation and blood soaked past, he'd have every right to turn her down for something more than just a slap and tickle.

_Great, it's already starting, I'm doubting myself and what we shared. This is going to be harder than I thought… Maybe going cold turkey was not the best way._

Hindsight being twenty-twenty, Krystal knew she could not go back. For better or worse the path was chosen.

Much like before, this was the course she plotted. The road less traveled, rather than be absorbed into the Kalanso and lose her clans identity; she elected the life of the exile and bounty hunter. The reasoning was that so long as she remained free and lived on, so did they. Krystal knew of her plans as Kursed, capture Fox, get the money, damn the consequences and hire some guns to help her wipe the Kalanos out from existence. Then, it transformed into: Capture Fox, use his status, get money and go do the same thing while appealing to Fox's good nature to help her.

She hated that plan even more than the first; the fact she would stoop so low to using someone and their good will. How her ancestors would weep. Those plans were forfeit now, and with her impending crippling mental health; things were going to get rockier before they got better.

_Maybe I should tell Fox about the medicine, he'd probably understand. But what if he looks at me like I'm crazy? No, no, Krystal, come on, we've come this far. I need to trust him and if I don't tell him… how will he react when I start losing it?_

As if by divine providence three gentle knocks came on the door causing the vixen to jump in surprise.

"Kursed, You alright?" It was Fox's caring voice that flowed so delicately upon her ears. The gentle blue triangles twitching with delight at the sound of his strength. "You've been in there for a while."

"Y-yea! I'm fine, just needed some time to myself. The Catspaw is small."

Fox chuckled softly and nodded. "Yea, it is tiny, it's not meant for this many people, but we'll make do. I'll leave you alone then, sorry for interrupting." The orange vulpine turned about to leave only for Kursed's voice to come through the door.

"Fox, wait."

The tod blinked and returned to the door. "Kursed?"

The door to the bathroom opened and Fox was taken aback by Kursed's appearance. Her eyes looked weary, more so than usual. That bountiful vivaciousness had faded once more which made her appeared even more sullen. Whatever it was, the burden had to be great.

"Fox, I… gods, how do I talk about something like this." She muttered offhandedly.

"How about not in front of the bathroom and someplace comfortable?" Fox added, trying to lighten the mood with a bit of humor.

Krystal couldn't help but smile a little at the jab. "Yeah… kitchenette?"

The tod nodded in reply as they made their short trek. Fox picked a couple of sodas from the tiny fridge and set both down on the small table. "Talk to me Kursed." Fox encouraged.

"J-just give me a second Fox, have to assemble my thoughts."

Fox's mind was going into overdrive, anxiety built up in his heart and mind.

_Does she regret what we did? How close we've become? Is she more concerned about her reputation?_

Fox's mind went rampant with fear and worry, the woman who had made him the happiest he'd been in years looked like she was about to drop a smart bomb that would ruin his life. It was assuredly selfish, but there was also the concern for Kursed's well being in his voice.

_I knew it, I should have stopped! I should have said something, I took advantage of her… Fox you piece of shi-_

"I've been taking Anxiety medication for the past half decade. I got it when I was on Kew before coming to Lylat."

If there was ever a time for the cliched record stop noise like in the old cartoons, that was the moment. Fox's brain came to a sudden halt as his entire thought process was derailed.

"Not just any medication… an experimental and risky one. One that has had adverse effects on me. You saw it in the safe house, when we almost kissed and I left afterwards." The vixen's voice was quaking, fearful. She was admitting to one of her most shameful secrets to Fox. The medicine utterly suppressed her mental capabilities. Though with it being experimental and never fully developed, it seemed that it could not completely overpower her psionics and thus they would manifest when she needed them most or pushed the hardest. To further compound the issue, it turned her into a cold hearted monster which made her capable of great acts of violence like ones in the club.

"Something Lylatians outlawed for good reason… Xandorapram."

Fox swallowed hard. He had not expected her to admit it so soon. The fact he had gone through Kursed's things and found it made his mouth go dry. A sudden onset of guilt had the tod's shoulders feeling immensely heavy. His worry for Kursed had caused him to violat her privacy, and now with no urging from him, the vixen came forward about the medication.

"It shuts out my telepathy most of the time, it also allows me to completely override my empathy. Essentially, it turns me into a calculating killing machine. The things I've done under the influence of those gods be damned pills. Fox, I'm not safe to be around."

"Kursed, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying, if you want to break off what we've started because of this, I'll understand. I'm crazy, unstable, I don't want to hurt you in one of my moments, especially now that I threw them away."

If the tod thought things were going downhill, now he was positive there was a storm brewing.

"You threw them away? All of them?" He whispered quietly.

"Yes, just before you came knocking, I've gone cold turkey. I need to stop hurting myself with those pills… especially if I want to be with you."

"But the withdrawal symptoms… The medicine itself is bad alone, but to just cut it out like that? Kursed, that's dangerous."

The vixen blinked with tears that had been welling up at the corners from the shame, but it was overshadowed by how he seemed to know about the medication.

"How do you know about the medicine, Fox?"

Now it was Fox's turn to want and hide his head in shame, but instead, he raised his head to stare resolutely into Kursed's own rich hues.

_No lies. I can't build a relationship around that._

His orange palms reached across the table to take her paws in his and squeezed deeply with fingers interlaced. "I'm sorry, I went through your things back on Macbeth in the hotel. I was so scared and worried about you. The way you behaved and how you went from welcoming and warm; to being cold and emotionless. I didn't like it, at all. What we experienced in the armory? It was like the sensation of launching out the hangar bay, when I fly. I didn't want to lose it… it was selfish of me and I breached your trust by rifling through your things."

Krystal suddenly experienced the sensation of two wills colliding; the first was her mask, the persona she adopted to survive. She wanted to scream and yell at Fox for daring to violate her personal belongings. He had no right to do that! Concern or not. The tortured warrior screamed to break it off because if Fox couldn't trust her in the simplest way, he had no right to call her his lover.

The second was Krystal, the empathetic lost young girl from a slaughtered tribe. She wanted to thank Fox for his attention and thought it did hurt her; thehe vixen knew why he had not asked. They were still strangers and even stranger bedfellows and with their romance blossoming, he wanted to know what was going on with her.

Somewhere in the middle, the two met.

Krystal took on an adamant gaze, though she did not pull her paws away from Fox, instead her grip tightened and held strong. Her voice took a tone of power and authority as she spoke through clenched teeth.

"I understand why you did it Fox… and I both appreciate it and hate what you did."

What kept Krystal from flying off the handle in her state, was the very fact he admitted that he cared about her well being. His regard overrode his good sense, and while it was still a trespass; she was willing to overlook it this one time. All the powerful emotions she had experienced in the last week had a profound effect on her. Krystal wanted to be herself again, to not be this bitter, cold, and destructive bounty hunter. She didn't want to cause pain to anyone, least of all Fox. Even as Kursed, she understood his reasoning, but it made her no less livid with Fox.

The tod across from her let a flicker of relief course through his eyes. It was obvious Fox had honestly worried it would explode in his face and spiral out of control.

With a deep breath Krystal centered herself and continued on. "Fox, the next week is going to be crucial, if we want this to work between us. I'm going to need you more than ever, the withdrawals…" The vixen trailed off, the fact that she even had to talk about such things only deepened the humiliation she endured.

Fox understood right away. "I'll even have Katt in on it to help, she's good with medicine, far better than I am. I know it's going to be hard… half a decade, I've seen how bad it can get." He whispered and squeezed Kursed's paws as tight as he could. "I'll be with you every step of the way, I promise Kursed."

The raging war between Kursed and Krystal went back and forth. Both sets appreciated the sentiment, but Krystal was the one who was genuinely grateful. Her more unforgiving mindset was rooted in the belief that she didn't need Fox, that she could conquer this all on her own. If he couldn't trust her, why should she trust him?

But in her heart; Krystal knew that to be her pride talking most of all. While she could survive the coming storm, having support would make recovery much easier, and far safer. Especially with someone she was frequently coming to trust.

All of this madness that swam around them had the vixen tempted to tell her true name to Fox, but she held back. The timing didn't feel right. They were amidst a transitory stage in their lives, and the uncertainty of her future was not helping the matter. Krystal wanted to know that her love was requited. It seemed so little a thing, yet to Krystal, adopting her name in public again would be an important step when the moment came. It was an admittance that she could be who she once was again and not have to live as a hunter anymore.

Krystal's mind slowly fell into an easy state. The gentle touch of Fox's paws, his words and his genuine desire to see all the insanity of it all through. It brought a devoted smile to her lips. "I can't say it enough Fox, but thank you… this last week has been both insane and amazing. I just-."

"Don't." Fox uttered tenderly, his eyes were so full of devotion and care. It almost brought a tear to her own glistening spheres. His voice rose once more from his his chest, only a single syllable before he bit it back. "I…" His voice drifted off with a flush as his head turned away and uttered a soft curse to himself. Something about him being too forward and outright, that he needed to wait.

The implication of what he uttered was quite staggering, there was something he wanted to say, but couldn't say it. Not just yet anyways.

_I hope it's what I think it is… I really do._

Fox was mentally chastising himself, they were close, but not **that** close. Not yet.

 _Dumbass! Almost ruined it from the gitco!_ His thoughts were swiftly interrupted as Kursed squeezed his palms, causing Fox to turn his head back up and smile sheepishly to the cobalt vixen.

"Don't overthink. Your psyche profile says you tend to do that."

"You… have my psyche profile?"

"You didn't think I was idle on Corneria and just hunting you day and night did you?" The vixen replied.

"Well, no, just the fact you got through their firewalls is pretty impressive."

"Not really, they were kind of easy, I expected more of a challenge."

"That's because Cornerian security is ass!" Came the voice of Katt Monroe from further in the ship.

Both Fox and Krystal's ears perked up, the ship was small, so it was no doubt that Katt and Falco probably heard most of the conversation.

"Katt, get your ass back in here, we're not done!"

"Make me- eep!" The sounds of girlish squealing and laughter was followed by a door sealing shut.

The two vulpine turned to each other, soft chuckles slowly built up into uproarious laughter as they banged their fists on the table. The absurdity of the situation not lost on them.

Between gasps of air and tears running down his face in no small amount of amusement, Fox managed to find his words. "T-that's one way to defuse a situation!"

Krystal was lost in the moment and could only nod. For a good solid minute they continued on like that before the pair managed to calm themselves down.

The moment gone, and their spirits restored for the time being; Kursed offered quite possibly the best idea to end the night on. "Lets just go lay down… I've had enough of this crap for one night."

Fox nodded warmly as he smiled at the blue vixen across from him. "I'll see you in the morning then."

"I didn't say separately." Came her voice afterwards. "As punishment for going through my things, you're going to hold me tonight. Any questions?"

Fox restrained himself, grinning like a fool at the supposed "punishment. "None at all, Kursed."

A gentle nod from the vixen and the two got up, heading to the cot that was set aside for Kursed in the small cargo hold.

The night ended for them with Kursed being spooned by her lover. His arms encompassing her in such a wonderful way that she could never see herself tiring of. The soft rhythm of his heartbeat combined with the tender breaths against her ears and azure locks made for an intensely relaxing sensation. Even with all the anxiety running through her mind that was shared by Fox; Kursed found slumber. To Kursed, Fox was the safest place in all the galaxy and in his arms, naught could touch her. Not even the nightmares.

For a short time, all was right for the two wandering souls as they once again found solace and drifted off into a content slumber.


End file.
